Unending dream
by warp-speeeed
Summary: Remembering only the events of that night, he awoke in a clinic of a land vibrant with life.
1. Chapter 1

_"Good night, son. See you in the morning."_

I could remember impressionistic visions, murky and unformed, yet the memories of the Yharnam nightmare were still fresh.

A high pitched ring struck through my ears.

Of a place cursed by ghostly monsters beyond the human mind.

The ringing came again.

* * *

I opened these eyes. It was so bright, like everything held with it a tint of silver. It was such a change from what was always a dimly lit, if at all scenery. Even my clothing carried the same brightness. Small, clear pipes ran into my flesh, connecting to a see-through bag of blood on a tall hatstand-like object. The softness against my backside told me I was in a bed. I believed I was in someone's home.

There was a periodic, bright sound that could be heard somewhere in the room.

From the blood healing, I presumed I was still in the same land.

But then I remembered a scrap of paper, instructions for the hunter who had entered into the dream.

I then burst from the bed with wide eyes. The nightmare could still be afoot, and my duty is an important one. Unhooking the pipes connected to my flesh, I proceeded to walk barefoot to an exit in an unstable manner. I reached for the Hunter's blade at my side, but only realised that the only thing there was an old habit.

To continue my journey, I had to find my personals. My blades, my items, all of it, had been lost when I awakened.

Searching around, I found that the bright sound came from a contraption connected to a person's chest, above the heart would be.

In the room I was in, I was lucky to find that someone had hung my clothing easy enough to see. I left the room after putting on the cloudy hunter's garb. But before I grasped the handle, I saw myself in the mirror, and reminded myself of my true age. When hunters bore the thin scent of the moon, our age would remain unchanged, no matter what we experience. My own mortality instilled worry in me.

Other than that, I still looked my age. Although the number might not be exact, I am twenty-two. Twenty-three if the end ever came to the night of the hunt.

"What are you doing out of bed? Let's get you back." I entered a pristine corridor with similarly dressed people. They all turned to see me stumbling forward. The white, clear clothing reminded me. I quickly grasped the hem of the one who had called to me.

"Hunter of the church. Where are my weapons? My arms? Surely it was there with me." The church hunter looked at me wildly without a word, before I released him.

This was a new part of life without the Dream, it was possible to lose certain things.

The hunter's wear, it was like a second skin, and I felt so exposed without them. I found the exit to this nightmare of a facility.

What was on the other side made me think if I was still dreaming. I was in a spacious building, with masonry and architecture that yelled 'Cainhurst' to me. Only, the rime of frost was missing.

Yet the people who wandered the halls were not the sad, wailing phantoms or the dedicated servants. It was dotted with people who felt at ease, wearing a kind of uniform he never recognised. It's colours were dark, but not like those commonly worn by hunters. In fact, it was like certain clothing I found exploring abandoned Cainhurst, with the red. There were even some who made certain distinct changes to them, how one of them wore strange flat headwear. I could not conclude anything about where I was from this.

"Excuse me, mister..."

The voice of a woman who made no footsteps filled me with fear for a second, and I darted back from the sound, gripping what was supposed to be the handle of a sword at my back.

"Who are you!?" I interrogated her from a distance, aggression in my voice.

It was more of an adolescent, who scared me. As I gripped the thin air, echoes of an arcane magic began to quietly whir, dimly lighting with a bright green sheen.

"W-woah relax, I'm Blake. Blake Belladonna. You're the person we found unconscious in the snow. We brought you here because we thought you might die."

I was silent at her words, and untensed myself. This reminded me of a situation with a female hunter, where in addition to her gun and blade, her weapons included her beauty. As a young man, I am still weak to that sort of weaponry.

Actually, that hunter, and the adolescent before me share similarly snowy skin. A great difference was the opposites in hair colour. That, and the two wore very different clothing.

I released my grip from my back when I saw that she had her hands forward, empty. I now realise that the other people here had begun to look at me attentively. The arcane light had long disappeared by now

"Very well, Blake. I, am truly sorry for my hostilities. Union is hard to come by, where I am from."

Something from long ago surfaced in my thoughts. The hunter Djura in Old Yharnam had said that at the end of his Dream, time had passed beyond what he had expected, and all he had known has changed. He also mentioned how some things remained the same.

At this time, I saw what must have been a spectre of a woman wearing nothing but bandages across her whole body standing at the centre of the hall, staring at me uncomfortably. All the other people ignored it.

Then, someone walked _through_ it. Her.

"Well, there's someone who wants to speak to you, I'll show you where. Come on." Blake turned to walk into the halls, and I followed her to catch up. I passed the ghost of a woman, who held our her arm at a low angle, then disappeared completely when we made contact.

"We couldn't find out your name, mister..."

"Oh yes, sorry. I am Andenette. And thank you for retrieving me, I truly might have died in the frost." It was a moment before I snapped from my confusion of the ghost.

"Don't worry about it. One of our teachers said we had to bring you back with us, and he would be here right now, but-tah, he's on an important duty. Oh, and you're at Beacon Academy, if you're wondering.

Blake and I passed to the end of the hall, and arrived into what must have been a large eatery. As scores of identically-dressed students sat in rows eating and chatting. Some of them called out to us, yelling Blake's name, but I was focused more on a uniquely-figured student. She was normal, yet the large, protruding ears of a rabbit stuck to the top of her head would suggest otherwise.

The sound of cutlery clinking against plates and other cutlery reminded me of the sounds our trick weapons would sometimes make when we changed their forms.

There again, I could see the ghost of a woman wrapped in bandages among the students who must not be able to see her. She continued to stare at me uncomfortably.

Blake called my name out, and I hurried to her.

"When you found me in the snow, did you find any of my weapons there? I cannot seem to find them when I woke." I asked Belladonna this question, when we stood before what I thought was a new type of elevator.

"Yeah, actually. We couldn't figure out what to make of it, there was two, right? A longsword and a kind of double-bladed weapon, right?"

I felt there was more to it than that.

"You're a huntsman, right?" What were you doing that got you unconscious in the snow?"

I could not tell young Belladonna of the long hunt. I felt it unwise at this time, but...

"I can remember only hazy images of what happened. Anything else... I'm unsure about."

For whatever reason, I was acutely aware that I was not referred to as 'Hunter', but instead, as 'Huntsman'. I attributed this to the differing cultures in the land. But it could also have something to do with Djura's experience of time moving out of place from what we would believe.

I could be a hundred years in the future, or a thousand years in the past. I could still be dreaming, in away that feels as if have awoken from the Hunters Dream for the final time. Was existence entirely the dream of one of the Great Ones frequently mentioned in Yharnam?

The elevator arrived, with a bright 'ding' that was not present in the elevators I was used to. The two of us went inside, and again, I was impressed with the design of this place.

Their elevators were like little rooms that couldn't be peeked through!.

"You talked a little about where you came from earlier. So Where did you come from? I'm guessing Mistral."

I've never heard of that place before.

"Somehow, the only memories that are clear to me, begin in the town Yharnam. Though it might all be a forgotten place by now."

"I've never heard of that place before." The elevator became a silent place, and I ached to say something, but also felt the urge to not do so.

She folded her arms underneath each other. She really is beautiful.

But soon, I found that the phantom that only I could apparently see was inside as well. She must have been a benign spirit if she did not harm me, yet the way she would look at me was still a discomfort.

Luckily, I could keep this from Blake. I'm not sure what would happen if she discovered a grown man such as myself was still afraid of ghosts.

The phantom's gaze became a neutral one, and she extended her arm towards me, a white ball of fire burned slowly and soundlessly

It was a silent ride in the contraption, until we then arrived at our destination.

"Well, Andenette. This is us."

The doors receded, and she led me into a room that I thought I had envisioned before. The entire room seemed to show part the inner working of a clock. Parts of a giant circular gear protruded upwards from the floor.

I entered, and saw a lone chair, a person slumped sideways seated within.

No, that was an unformed memory. Or vision?

"Ah. Miss Belladonna, thank you for showing the huntsman part of the academy. You are free to leave."

"Unless of course, you wish to listen on our conversation. You are free to do as you choose."

A grey-haired man in an important looking chair spoke to Blake. He sat behind a large desk. Through his small spectacles, he eyed me with the look of friendship.

There was another person already here. In whitish-yellow hair and oval glasses, she really carried a particular type of weapon I was weak to.

"Actually, I think I'd like to stay here awhile." Blake said. I already knew she was curious about who I was, and what I was doing in the middle of nowhere.

"Very well." Blake went to stand next to the other woman, again crossing her arms. A shadow came between me and the man, by the sun shining through the inner workings of the clocktower. The ghostly woman stood at the side of his desk.

"Good morning there."

* * *

 **:) pls tell what is ur thuts**


	2. Chapter 2

Sitting here with the attention of the three of these people, certainly reminded me of worse times, when I was at the center of a circle of beasts.

"Yes, I cannot recall anything before waking in your clinic."

I learned his name was Ozpin, who kept asking questions about my past. Carefully, I deflected, answering with 'I must have been struck with amnesia' or something of the like. I didn't feel too great lying to what seemed to be good people, but knowledge of things like the night of the hunt, or the ghastly beings that existed beyond human knowledge being discovered by a civilisation that might have ever come across it, was not something I believed should be decided on my own.

Speaking of ghastly, the three of them were oblivious to the ghost that had begun to wander the room, her movements were sluggish, like a large metal ball was clamped to one of her legs. And whenever she would near me, I would begin to hear aggressive whispering that would drown out whatever anyone else was saying.

I'm sorry, spectre, but could you please stop haunting me? This could be important.

"It is common knowledge, of a ruined, and dilapidated town that is devoid of life of any kind. It is described in some textbooks as 'the birthplace of Huntsman and Huntresses, but also that of the Grimm.'" Central Yharnam was the only thing that had come to my mind. I kept quiet, wondering what it is that Ozpin would speak of next.

"Historical texts originating from this town, have it's name lost, yet describes one of the kinds of people who had once walked it's streets." The man looked to, and nodded at the woman with glasses, she produced a contraption that opened, revealing a pane of glass, stained with familiar images, and passed it to him.

"Fighters. Agile and nimble, commonly dressed in dark clothing like the blanket of night, sworn to battle the scourge of beasts, including werewolves and infected humans." The person he had shown me in the contraption was a collection of pictures, all of which depicted clothing of the common hunter. Common, since the collection lacked the unique style of Cainhurst knights, or the whitened cloth of Church hunters.

"And we believe you to be one of these fighters, Andenette."

"The style and aesthetic of the clothing of which you were found in point me to that conclusion." Ozpin stared me in the eyes. I believe he thinks that I am a kind of hazard. I can only hope that Blake or that woman will not see me differently.

He turned his attention to his white contraption, which now showed me images of typical hunter weaponry, including symbolic ones.

I could remember much of what he showed me now. The simple Saw weapons cut down beasts effectively, though seemed crude compared to the elegance of the righteous Healing Church weapons.

There were some that I might have never seen in my time of the hunt in Ozpin's collection, but I could recognise the more experimental Trick Weapons like the old flaming hammer, the name of which changed depending on who would carry it. Even the predecessor to the refined Threaded Whip was here. But my soul stopped when I laid eyes upon the ancient scythe of the trapped mentor.

A mix of emotion, I experienced on viewing this. Relief that some relics from a blood-washed era were destined to fade away into time, yet despair for the hunters I once knew who wielded some of these weapons.

And now, the ghost in the room lowered herself to Ozpin's, and stared at me wide-eyed, Does she share my thoughts?

I began to think about what this man would think of when shown the Wheel of Logarius. Could he believe such a plain-looking object to be such a deadly weapon as I could remember? Could anyone in this land believe it anymore? It was believed by those who wielded it to hold symbolic value. Though these would be the same people who would don a miniature pyramid as a helmet.

Their preferred style was extremely odd when compared to their mortal enemies.

"Not only that, but one of the weaponry found with you, is an exact match to the picture in the scroll. An identical match, from the markings on the scabbard, and even the weight of weapon." Ozpin then leaned back in his large chair, and set his contraption down on his desk.

When he mentioned the weight and markings of the sharpened weapon, I could question myself on how he could have come into contact with such knowledge

"So, I believe you are a Hunter from a time before when the now-ruined Yharnam reached the end of it's lifetime.

From his somewhat husky voice, combined with those familiar words, I found myself thinking of the mentor trapped in the Dream, and how this Ozpin's voice sounded like that of a younger Gehrman.

But what he had said was true, one of the hunter weapons he had shown me were one of the ones I kept with me most times. The blood-drinking blade of Cainhurst, and because it was the same as what had just been showed to me, I felt a rush inside of me as I suspected my secret to be uncovered.

"Normally, we would celebrate such an event, but there were implications to the hunters of that time."

The town must have been ruined by the curse cast upon us.

From a range of experiences, I could already sense the words in his mind. Yharnamites sometimes lashed at the hunters, in the belief that they were the original cause of the plague of the beasts. But in the time of my hunt, it wasn't just us hunters. Soon though, I did discover it was not just us hunters.

"Some of the Hunters in Yharnam, after hunting beasts, would turn into the beasts themselves, destroying and killing those around them."

The Hunters who had surrendered to a blood-addled addiction. My experience with them was vast.

It is understandable why he would be cautious of me with that information. But there is a critical piece of his puzzle, a piece that I kept from him.

"Sir Ozpin, I can confidently assure you, that I will not turn into one of those beasts."

The piece I kept secret from him, and the one he holds conflict with each other. A distinct difference could be found in the those who fell to the plague of beasts, and those who followed the tales of astral beings that descend from the cosmos.

Those kinds of people, of course came with their own risks separate from the scourge. But they are ones that I knew I would never explore myself.

 **(whoosh to rwby's room.)**

"So, because we found him there in the snow, we get to keep his weapons?" I asked Weiss,

"Aww yeah, this biz is awesome!" I turned to see Yang holding the katana with both hands, while it's sheathe had been tied to her waist. I started laughing at Yang pretending to fight a beowulf with it. She started talking in ninja, with 'hi-ya's, and 'wuooh!'.

The decorations on the blade were incredible.

I began to cry tears of excitement when I held the man's gun, it was also detailed, but it didn't look modern or anything, more like, something from before dad's time. The handle was a pistol, but it had a really long barrel for the bullet, and was covered in decorative engravings.

But I put it down for the much more AWESOME sword he had. There were blades coming out of opposite sides of the handle, and though it was a little lacklustre from what most other people's weapons, I could really appreciate the traditional charm. I could feel that it was just the PERFECT weight, and brought my finger across the separate edges of the blades, and actually almost cut myself since it was just so sharp! I hugged it carefully, adoring the tiny markings on the weapon. Ooh, I wish I could see it in battle!

"Hey Ruby, let me see that for a second." Without even waiting, Yang took the weapon from me as I became meek.

She slowly, carefully swung the dual-bladed weapon, like in a kind of slow-motion combat. Yang also left her thin blade in my hands, and walked away while I tried to reach for the scabbard still at her side.

"Oof!" I yelled as I fell over.

"Ruby, I've been wondering something about this thing for a while.." Weiss asked me from her lower bunk. I quickly went to her, who had set out a rag on our floor.

"This kind of looks like, white gunpowder. This whistle doesn't even work. A small bell, and... a bone?" In order, Weiss began to point towards the things on the rag.

"Maybe the whistle and bone is for a dog. Must be why doesn't make sounds. No clues about that bell and powder." Yang answered. "Aw, Blake would love this weapon."

"Blake? We saw her with the guy during lunch."

My sister quickly turned, and almost dropped that double-bladed weapon.

"What? When? And do you know where she was going?!" I bet she wanted to catch her in the act, and tease her about liking him.

"While you were showing off to Nora about the pie in Jaune's face. She said that she had to bring him to Ozpin's office, she should be coming back right now though."

"AW screw that noise, I'm gonna see if she's still with him. Come on guys, then you can find out more those lil'gadgets."

"They're hardly gadgets." But Yang was already out the door, leaving behind that weapon.

"You really put your mouth on that whistle? You don't know where it's been!" Yucky Weiss.

"N-no, I just blew at it without putting it in my mouth. Anyway, we should follow your sister, I do want to see where this goes." Looks like team RWBY won't be in their dorm for the rest of the day, maybe.

"Oh, wait. Shouldn't we bring his things? I'm sure he would be grateful, and then show us how they're supposed to be used!"

I heard Weiss say something, but her voice was quiet from already catching up with my sister.

: **D**


	3. Chapter 3

"So. It's kind of strange for a seventeen year old girl to be in an elevator with a thousand year old man."

"Thousand years old, and still looking good."

I've said such an unscrupulous thing. That was something only a mother would say! Blast this knee-jerk mind.

But then she giggled girlishly, even in her natural, somewhat lower tone of voice. She giggled, and my insides churned because of it.

"I guess you don't look like a senior citizen."

Blake stood against the wall of the elevator as the two of us descended from Ozpin's office, I leaned against the wall next to her's. It is a creeping belief I have that I will have to deal with the haunting presence of this ghostly spectator of my awakened life, of which closely played with Blake's long hair, lifting it up and bringing it to her eye.

Again, evidence to an earlier theory about her sharing my thoughts. Like me, she must believe that Blake's hair is an astoundingly developed characteristic.

"It'd be kind of interesting to see how a huntsman from at least ten centuries ago would fight. Did you have, like a team, or something?"

"Most of us would move alone. But there are some who would band together. There were so many different hunters back then."

"Mhm, even though you said you couldn't remember anything from before you woke up in the snow."

I did say that. Now she knows that I lied to her. The ghost, whose tastes in women seem similar to mine, now began to look at me uncomfortably.

"Actually, since I've been talking with mister Ozpin, I have begun to remember some things. That must have been one of them."

This spectral visitor actually had a use. she was kind of like a reflection of the world since, I sensed that Belladonna no longer suspected me, that and the ghost returned to caressing her precious hair, frequently looking back to her own hair that was coloured like ash.

"Then, can you remember what you were doing out in the snow? We found you while we were on the way to explore an old abandoned kingdom, does that have anything to do with it?"

I told her I could not remember anything about kingdoms that could have been important to why I would have been in the snow. Although I did think about castles often.

"Hey, Andenette." Now I sensed a seriousness in her voice.

"Is it true about what Ozpin said? That hunters would turn into... monsters?" Blake and I now shared a concerned gaze.

"The scourge of beasts could poison even the hunters. Regrettably, it was the hunters who would turn into the worst kinds, losing their sense of selves, and attacking everyone they'd see." Feral shells of the former people, giant beasts twice the size of a house. Blasphemer to the adage of Byrgenwerth.

"That's horrible..." She seemed hurt about my stories, and the bandaged ghost begun to make a tearful face as well.

"Are you going to turn into a monster?" I'll say whatever I need to reassure that worrying girl. Sadness was contagious as well.

But before I could say my words, the elevator's bell had rung in it's high tone.

The chromatic doors slid away, to reveal some students who seemed to go wide-eyed when they saw the two of us.

* * *

It was a mystery to find an efficient way to arrange a room when the single beds occupied much of the floor, but the third-years in team CFVY have it worked out. Simply bolting the beds firmly to the walls fixed the issue, freeing up vast space in the room.

Velvet sat on the floor in her team's room, a camera in her hands directed to a strange slimy creature writhing in a small glass enclosure. It had resembled a slug, and would repulse when she removed the covers that kept the enclosure dark, but there was something about it that suggested more. It

"You know Velv, I sometimes see Yatsuhashi looking at that little slug you brought back from that snow trip, I think I hear him _talking_ to the guy some days."

The confident Coco lie in her elevated bed, eyes in a magazine about clothing. Her usual beret and shades were elsewhere at this time, revealing she actually had a cute girly face with dark brown eyes.

"It's kind of like watching a nature documentary. What do you think I should do with it?" Velvet said to her, tapping on the glass to try to get the creature's attention.

"You found it in the snow near the huntsman that team RWBY found, right? It might be his little pet." Velvet laughed heartily at Coco's answer.

"Who keeps a slug as a pet? A pet someone takes around with them? Oh Coco..."

"Velvet, it might actually be-ouch, hit my head on this stupid ceiling."

"Three years, and you still forget you're on the top bunk, eheh." The faunus had put away her camera, and had instead begun to try to draw the thing in a sketchbook.

"Velvet, it might actually belong to him. I've been a little worried for a while. When we were at lunch, I saw that huntsman staring right at you. That, and that thing left a trail in the snow leading straight to him."

"Is that so? I think it'd just be the rabbit ears." Velvet went to touch the animalistic appendages that made her look like she came from a fairy tale.

"Maybe so, but I just don't want any trouble coming to you, since you're... you know." Referring to her obvious ears.

"I know-wha!"

"That's good to hear, I just don't want my little bunny getting hurt, you hear?" Closely hugging Velvet's backside, Coco shared her unease with her teammate.

* * *

A forest was a prime viewing point to witness the chain of predators and prey, of which formed to create a metaphorical net of life and death, set in motion by the natural instinct of the creatures that called it's verdant land home. It was a revolving wheel.

Yet among the creatures, one had ascended beyond this cycle. One of the humans of great power, but through hideous acts, had devolved into a giant beastial form.

Appearing like a typical werewolf that had grown to monstrous proportions, exceeding the height of most trees. Atop it's malformed head, large horns like that of a deer pointed skywards.

It screamed horribly at black beasts native to the land, that existed outside the cycle of nature.

Monsters of Grimm, apparently formed from the darkness within the minds of man, where feared for their tendency to rip apart human and faunus alike. But in the presence of the beast towering over them, they appeared like large ants.

It's giant claws tore the beowolves into black fading shreds, screeching incessantly at everything that moved.

It moved along the forest, leaving a path of partially-felled trees wherever it would go, until it found a meadow-like clearing overlooking a cliff. The monster followed to the edge of the cliff, where it would shriek at the dusk sky.

Sharp senses turned the beast back towards the treeline, where now a singular person stood. It's other half.

Together, they symbolise the wretched night of the hunt.

With a man's voice, it shouted into the forest at it's back.

Rage flowed through it's limbs, forming fire that licked the brisk air over several parts of it's body. Seeking to kill it, the giant beast rushed forward on it's four appendages and tore the person with it's claws. But it had already disappeared. Despite this, the horned beast continued to rend the grass where the man used to be.

But the person had hidden behind the trees, rushing his breathing. But luckily for him, the monster still continued to strike where he had been.

He peeked out from behind the tree, to video the beast on his scroll device.

To his doom, the scroll made a high-toned sound, and he quickly moved his body back behind the tree trunk, he held his breath and shut his eyes.

The silence that followed had accompanied long claws that protruded into his sight. A horrible screeching filled his ears as he remained deathly still.

He felt the shuddering of the land from the monster's hind legs which put distance grew between them. Gathering enough courage to peek, he saw that the monster had taken to battle snarling beowolves, allowing him to properly catch it on video and make a prompt escape, as quiet as he was terrified.

* * *

"It hasn't been long since Andenette here's awoken, so go easy on him, guys." Lovely Belladonna spoke to the students

"You've _got_ to show us how you use your swords, mister!" After short introductions with the young women before the elevators, they kept asking me questions excitedly. Two of them asked the excitedly, the other, who bore a striking resemblance to a hunter I once knew, seemed more diplomatic. Like the only thing on her mind was business, aware of me. She folded her arms like Blake did on the way up, but something about it reminded me of a child's lower mood.

But even so, their beauty struck me in the gut.

"How long have you been a huntsman?!" Asked the adorable shorter Ruby. I'd lost track of time from warping between the world, and the shrouded Hunter's Dream.

"I'm unsure." The night of the hunt was only supposed to last for a single night, but in the presence of unspeakable great ones, time was more of a blanket. Able to be bent and unturned as they wish.

"Ahem. What does this do? It looks like dust, but, doesn't feel like any dust I've seen." Weiss was her name, and I know that name meant something in an old tongue, yet I could not quite make it out. I see now that the white-haired girl who had folded her arms wore a crown on her head of hair. She gave me one of my consumables, which had been in a small, tied bag that she had just opened. I stared carefully at the white powder.

No one could see it, but the phantom was poking her spectral finger at her cheeks, and it appeared on the other side.

"Is there something on...my face?" She questioned my focus on the paranormal before me.

"I thought I had lost this. Thank you for returning it to me." Finally something from that time. She smiled, but it was easy to tell that it was one meant for customs. She asked again what it was.

"This is ash made from the marrow of bo-n" I was interrupted by the student with a more womanly figure, who supposedly is the elder sister of the younger Ruby.

"Hey buddy, lets go for a round in the arena. Then maybe we can go for a round in the back for something more... intimate, what'd you say?" This girl, Yang, her voice was in the right tone, but something in the shape of her eyes and smile of her mouth hinted to me that she only jested.

"Yang!" Her friends berated her, while I laughed inwards and grinned to myself.

"You'll get used to her. Eventually." Blake said to me, still shaking a fist at her friend.

"So, Blake. Look's like you're all buddied up with him. Gonna have a secret relationship with him? All kiss-kiss behind our backs?" I see now. Yang was the humorous one. This is a respectable characteristic. Blake only ignored this. At times, I saw her as a hunter, with her sometimes blank face.

While stealing glances at the attractive girls, I saw something that I had lost. I moved forward slightly, and pointed to Yang's side. I could not forget that dull gold and red cloth.

"That is... the sheath for my sword, right?" I looked back up, to see Yang's wordless, yet awkward face.

"Oh, uh. Yeah. It is. Hehe."

 **xD**


	4. Chapter 4: Hunter

I was informed by the group of girls, that they were in possession of certain things I might have lost. Yes, I was irritated that things have been taken without my knowing, but they were simply too bright and expressive with their emotions, that it began to infect me as well. This was particular with the two sisters, as sweet Belladonna was quiet, and the crowned girl acted the way a female would when one of their pretty friends suddenly had a male talking to them. I only wish to tell her I mean no harm.

In any case, we were just outside what looked to be their dorms at the institute.

Swishing the sharp blade around, I became satisfied at it's tempered quality, and placed it within the dull golden scabbard at my side.

At this moment, I could have done something everyone would see as as cursed or magic, but instead, I left the weapon be, giving it a nice pat.

"And this?" Weiss asked again about my things.

I was asked about my various tools, but could not tell her that the whistle was in actuality a deadly weapon, or that the bell allowed me to cross between the alternate worlds. How would they act if I said the bone could turn me into a ghostly cloud?

"That is a bone charm that can turn me into a ghost." I said without a hint of emotion.

"Ha-ha, very funny, and I suppose that whistle is for your giant dog?" A scornful remark left her lips, and a scowl crossed her face. Even though she was partially right.

I had already made the mistake of telling them what the powder was made of. No jest could mend the crowned girl's frown. Even so, she was still beautiful.

But I imagine that she will take what I say as a weak jest. I doubt Yharnamites bore witness to the true world that enshrouded their little lives.

The spectre, now closely intimate with one of the girls, had begun to suspiciously circle around Ruby, with wide eyes. When that little red girl stepped forward, she did so with large eyes, like that of an innocent child, beside her friend.

"I think this is yours." She handed me the second, and also, third of my trick weapons. The double-bladed sword, and after seeing it myself, the ghost began to move wildly, flying around the weapon, like she knew what it was. Once or twice, she passed through Ruby's dark hair, making it flutter slightly.

"You are blessed, child." I run my finger across the longer of the two blades, and as expected, still sharp.

I asked Blake's friends for my belongings, and Ruby had just returned the last of them.

For the moment, I think I'm going to go for a walk, discover where this place is, or where anything is, really.

Finally, I hid the resonance bell somewhere on myself. I already forgot where, I don't imagine it will be used again. The entire time, Weiss eyed me inquisitively, trying to find something wrong with me.

"You don't even know where Vale is?" I answered that I've never heard of Vale before, reminded her that I was over one-hundred years old, and had just awoken. She scoffed in annoyance, and disappeared into her room. She must have meant for me to hear her say that I was 'childish'. Yang appeared in her place.

"So where 'r ya going?" Leaning against the frame of the door was the sister. I know in the back of my head that I could recognise that style of name from somewhere.

"I'm going to see where this place is in the world." It was true that I had no clue of where I was, and if a guess to be made, my answer would be a fragmented school of Byrgenwerth. But like most hunters, memory begins with the beginning of a blood ritual. So I must uncover the mystery that is this land.

A second look at the two-bladed sword, I realised that it can be broken apart. My hands separated it, resulting in a sort of dual-sword stance.

"Woah, that's cool. But mine's better." I knew it was Yang

"I'm sure it is. A thousand years into the future and I should expect more advanced weaponry."

"Ha-yeah. Wanna see _how_ advanced?." Her tone was like that of a hunter I cannot remember, but would always seek to test the mettle of others against her own. This, and the shape of her eyes suggested the excitement right before a deadly encounter.

"I'd say that today is my day off from conflict." Already I sensed her mocking eyes.

From within their little room, Weiss called out to the two of us.

"Okay, it's been nice, but we have-to, ah-prepare our classes! That's right, as an adult, I'm sure you know the difficulty and stresses of dealing with education. Come on Yang, you can't afford another fail this semester. You should get going as well, mister huntsman." During this, she talked over me each time I spoke, and promptly pulled Yang into the room.

"Alright, see you Andy." She said as the door closed shut, I'd never realised such shortening of my name to be appropriate like this. A moment later, and the bandaged ghost phased through the door, apparently having been in the room this time.

I'd never heard of such an appropriate shortening of my name before she had called me that.

Well now, with all my personals and weaponry, I brushed my coat and disappeared from their door.

"Which direction is to the outside? It all looks the same to me."

 **: ))))))))))))))**

On a moonless night the various humans and faunus would finally release their stress built from the day, and a nightclub is an ideal place to do so.

In Vale, one such place is available for the citizens, with only a single rule; to 'Don't start none', partygoers could enjoy a night of lights and rhythmic sounds and dances, before having to resume an ordinary life.

Artificial beams of light made up of different colours waved in and out of sight, while the lastest tracks blasted from a hidden set of giant speakers as a disk jockey wearing a giant bear head accessory moved to the beat. The perfect image of one of the flavours of nightlife.

Against the bright lights, silhouettes were moving their bodies on a large tiled platform, each square changing it's colour every so often.

But now, someone suspicious had entered the auditorium. A bronze mask lined with decorative engravings and shaped slightly like a beak, with clothing that was obviously out of place for the context made it impossible to tell any details about the new attendee.

Those inside who saw this figure remarked on the awful mood it was producing. But the signature sign of the skilled combatant of a katana's sheathe deterred any from approaching.

He who tended the bar, which also incidentally owned the nightclub, was a man who commonly dealt in practices under the nose of the law, in shades of darkness blacker than his red aviators. Although it might not be apparent, he was more than a guy with thick arms. With many contacts and channels, many will know who he is before they first meet him.

He eyed the mysterious newcomer suspiciously, until it came to a stop dead in front of him.

"It is my understanding you can help me find somebody." Her voice was of that before the age of adulthood, but with confidence and conviction of one twice the age.

"Aren't you a little young to be playing dress-up?" The bartender stroked his large black beard, carefully looking over the peculiarly-dressed huntress, before she leaned over the counter, and placed her hand over it's marble surface.

"I'd slay you in the beat of a heart." Her low, somewhat croaky voice was lined with annoyance. But to this, the bearded bartender quickly moved to grasp the huntress, drawing the attention of many in the foyer. "What? Don't you know who I am?" No voice came from her.

"Sorry girly, but nobody, _nobody_ disrespects me in my own club." But when his hand thrust atop the counter, a scrape, and _clang_ as if metal struck against metal sounded. But when he tilted his head downwards, the thin blade of a deadly sword stuck into the bar through the space between his fingers. As he froze in surprise, her intention was clear. And he began speaking nervously.

"O-okay, okay, just...who is it you're looking for?" Because of how close the sword was to his fingers, he didn't want to try his luck of pulling it away. The girl, from behind the mask grinned at his new behaviour.

At this, she produced an image. A painting the size of her gloved palm, and showed it to him. It was a woman with white hair and complexion, in clothing similar to her. She removed her katana from the now blemished marble surface, and returned it into a bronze scabbard. "Seen her anywhere?" He thought it was strange to have a painting of a person rather than a photograph, but it was so accurately created they could be mistaken for the same method.

"Isn't this...that one Schnee? I'm not sure, they all look the same." ... "Junior!" The bartender seemed to recognise the painted person, but the masked woman lowered her head at this news. Someone completely new shouted out.

The two were interrupted with a voice that seemed friendly, and belonged to another man with orange hair in a large white suit, who puffed from a cigar. He arrived with a pair of tough-looking, uniformed guards that wore eye-covering masks, but had uniquely shaped accessories, like that of certain animals on the top of their heads.

"And who do we have here?" The man said, before he pulled his light away and blew smoke that was rancid to the nose. "Isn't it a week too early to be dressing up?" He said to the hidden hunter. This second time, she had just chosen to ignore the words.

"Anyway, Junior. Those henchmen of yours got taken out." The man stood straightly on a walking cane, even though he was mostly a picture of health.

Junior, wiping down a glass, only turned his back to the man and leaned on the table, electronic lights sweeped against his black coated back. He groaned deeply.

"Again? Well I can't let you have any more, we're tight enough as it is. The rest of them are on physician's orders to take it easy, and you can't really go against doctor's orders, Roman." Junior placed the glass he was wiping down underneath the bar, when Roman neared it's edge.

"Now, Junior. I don't really believe you're in a- _ah_ position to bargain." The suited man motioned to his two large guards, who began to trod menacingly towards him, rudely pushing away chatting party-goers, they waited directly behind him, threateningly grimacing. Roman clutched his white hat, and chuckled crudely, and continued to extort the establishment's owner.

"Woah, easy there, missy. Let's not do anything...rash."

It was his goal, but he had been impeded with a gleaming crimson blade, that dripped with thick, fresh blood. It stained the skin of his neck a bloody tinge of red.

"I will not stand for your villainy, criminal." Looking towards the beak-like mask, it was easy for Roman to imagine the expression.

 **:)))))))))**


	5. Chapter 5

**Guday folks.**

 **I realise that I update late recently. this is partly due to examination period (lmao halloween exam), and a lack of time dedicated to this activity. but like all my other fics, i do plan to update : )))))))**

 **Thanks for all your support these past weeks**

 **No fight scene sorry : (((((((((((**

 **:))))))))))))**

I had awoken with no memory of the past night, only that I had been walking a sidepath since the rising of the sun. It was fun, somehow. This must be what the trapped hunter envisioned when he spoke of the morning sun.

The town of Vale, was a great sight to behold. It's colours were inviting and engaging, with vibrant hues that advertised a service or product. That and the people were NOT freaky mobs with torch and pitchforks!

Splendid!

I traversed the more civilised town, always keeping an eye on my spectral partner, who seemed to act on my curiosity of everything. I gave much attention to the pretty girls who passed us by, and the bandage-wrapped ghost who circled, and then tried to mimick their every movement. Some buildings offered a stand of various, gorgeous flowers

An observation.

A diluted version of the beastly plague that once threatened our kind, seems to have finally been somehow controlled, and it appears that this is reflected in a few of the citizens as animalistic extensions. An animal's ear there, some scales there. Some, I even saw their pupils had turned from the human's simple dot, into an all-new line, like the cut from a sharp weapon.

The bearers of these traits would suffer momentary, yet scrutinizing gazes from fellow passerbys, and they were either shy, meek individuals, or brave and uncaring for it. I was unsure if these animalistic developments are the cause of evolution, or a relapse into a more primal, clear-cut environment.

As for the scrutinising onlookers, I regarded them as the same type of folk eager for a mundane existence. In Yharnam, these would be the kind of people averse to change, without even knowing the details.

This was my greatest sympathy for the elite members of the Church. Ascending to higher planes of existence, using the masses of people that had little value otherwise. Though I would always think otherwise when looking upon the repulsive sight of the brainsuckers. The way it writhed always unsettled me. I once saw one grapple another hunter, yucky stuff.

But yes, praise these animal-humans for taking a step forward into the unknown, wearing glares on their shoulders, and pressing on. Understandably, I weathered these looks as well, as I was dressed so out of place, with the edges of the three swords. Speaking of the unknown, some madman has found a way to move coaches without the need for the horses that would lead the carriage, as if the spirit of Byrgenwerth lives on.

I moved aimlessly, but still with respectable posture, around the town, passing by what was called a cafe, where an alluring scent sought to pull me from my wandering. But it was here that I spotted something that even I knew was out of place. Blaring lights that whizzed around the surrounding buildings in blue and red. I was without destination, and seeked an excitement.

For so long, us dreaming hunters were tasked to end the nightmare, and even then, this vague explanation was lost on me. Suddenly awakening without this purpose, I could only feel incomplete. Instead, I decided to fill this half with excitement.

When I arrived at the scene, two horseless coaches blared spinning lights, there were a couple men that wore what seemed to be a uniform investigating the front of a building that just looked massacred.

There were no lights coming from the building's inside, a dead, lifeless look. It's front doors, though once I imagine would have looked ceremonial, now had it's glass shattered, and was knocked out of it's hinges, scraps of the construct, along with the tiny shards were blown outwards from the inside. Up until now it could have just been that someone had gotten angry over spilled coldblood, but then that would leave out the gashes of red liquid that I already knew what was. From the angle, it would seem that a blood explosion of somekind had erupted from the doorway. Unruly streaks had also been left on the road for the coaches, and I already knew within my body that I'd witnessed this stretch of bloodstain before.

Little yellow placards with black numbers followed evidence of destruction.

I was passed by the ghost who fell to all fours to closely inspect the glass and blood on the road. The bandages covered her more womanly areas. Blast.

"Residents say there was a battle... spilled beer, one too many drinks maybe. But nothing that could lead to this." One of the uniformed men arrived at my side while I took in this scene. He wore black-lense glasses, and because of this, I could not see his eyes.

"Y'know, I've been a cop almost thirty years. I've never seen anything like this, really shocks the veterans, you know, all that blood looking like the results of a small bomb being planted in someone." He sighed in sorrow at this. Enduring conflict for so long. He must be haunted.

"It all ends the same, funeral needs to be arranged, wife becomes a widow, or someone's mom receives a phone call telling them their son has been killed at a bar. And it's me who has to bear with making these calls. It's just pointless death."

"My eyes, are also exhausted from conflict." It was true. During a battle I could feel such a rush inside me, yet feel remorse in the moments following the end of a battle. Who had I killed? They might have been mindless, beastly shells of their former selves, but even I knew, that it was me who could be the monster for killing them.

That Djura, how long had he carried this uncertainty of who will mourn their loss? Was there even any to do so in that ravaged land?

"I guess that's just the curse of the huntsman."

"It is, I guess."

After a moment, one of their carriages had started up, causing bright lights to shine from it's front, and it cried out in a drawn out, lowering voice. No one could see it, but through a glass pane at it's front, the ghost girl had entered, and was still on the front seat, frantically darting her wide eyes around.

 **: )))))))))))**

The dark recesses of night was often associated with evildoers, those who plot against the interests of a society, driven by some haunting experience that they envision each night, or a desire that clears all other thoughts within the mind.

Within the dark recesses of night, evil lurked.

"Okay, put this there..."

A physically unharmed figure of villainy stuck a small photograph on a suspicious board, like that of a detective who could never let go of a mystery case. Incidentally, the board was a cheap flippy one. The photo was of the masked adversary he had encountered the previous night, with her blade that was encased with thick blood. It was stuck on using a sort of sticky, rubbery substance, of the same colour as the smoke streaming from his cigar.

"Definitely, almost ninety-nine percent, a match."

He was within the darkness of a large warehouse, illuminated only by a single lamp, and even then, insects buzzed around it. The space was silent with the absence of any others, except for the swinging legs of his partner in crime, mindlessly passing time.

"What do you think, ice cream? Think she's one of them? I think so... there was...eugh... there was blood and guts on that sword of hers, and unless there's a new fashion trend you're not telling me about, it's definitely one of those 'new huntsman' my lines are telling me about.

The 'ice cream' that he was talking to, was a female sitting back on a large crate. Her appearance was a paradox, as she had a face which was that of an adolescent teenager, and a grown woman, and every so often the colours of her iris would change. And her smooth hair ended in flourished curls, separated with divides in colour that is both inviting, and professional.

Girlish, but womanly.

Simply put, her clothing was also a kind of split between profession, and expression.

That and her diminished height was a dominant trait.

Idly dangling her legs about, she seemed uncaring about the outcome of his speech.

"Us two been in this game for a while, never seem such a weapon like that." He looked closely at the thickly coated weapon in the photo, before examining the rest of the board.

A map of Remnant was taped on, lines drawn with markers connected the four kingdoms, with several other photographs.

"...and now they've popped up on our front doorstep." His tone deflated with each word, making the exhale a prominent feature.

Finally, a new presence entered the vast darkness.

"Who exactly, has popped up on our doorstep? Mr Torchwick."

"Please. It's just Roman now."

Taking the doubtless unhealthy cigar from his mouth, the man turned away from his board, but only after quickly turning over the board so that the other side faced him. Such that now it was empty, except for the upside down love heart drawn with marker, which was now exposed.

Unlike his 'ice cream', who had now mysteriously disappeared from view.

"Ah, children, welcome to my, _eheh_ humble abode."

"Shut it, Roman." Said a rude, yet attractive girl.

"You kids got quite a mouth on you nowadays! _Who-h!_ "

"The plans. It's going smooth? Because if it isn't, you know who's going to" The girl, with the clean green hair, and big red eyes, she scrunched her face, and jabbed a finger towards Roman.

"Don't worry about the biig, baad, scaary lady, I've got things covered! Just a little bit of a setback is all."

"It's not me who should be worried." The shorter green-haired girl folded her arms and looked away, unable to bear the man's sight.

"Actually, Emerald, you should be." After a short standoff between him and her, he looked towards the other teen stood beside her.

"Young man, looking good, staying out of trouble, I hope?"

"Heh, only cause I have to." The two shared a fake laugh, before Roman turned towards the planning board he had hidden from the two.

"There _is_ a little problem I'd like you two to take care of, though-now don't worry just yet, it's not like you have to kill anyone. Unlike when you took care of a loose end..."

"We're only here to make sure you don't go running off, not to baby you."

"Is that so? Emerald... with the invasion on the horizon, it won't be long before you've outlived your usefulness to... ahem, _you-know-who._ You know I'm right. Right?"

They seem aware of what the man was saying, and the pair agreed. Proceeding towards him, they stopped in front of Roman, who had turned the whiteboard back, revealing what was once hidden.

"I'm getting word that a peculiar brand of huntsmen and huntresses are showing up all over Remnant." Roman pointed towards the iced lands of the north. Up over in Atlas, one of these guys was recorded on video tape"

" _video-tape?"_ The two sniggered at the older man's older dialect.

"On video tape, Mercury, resisting arrest of local authorities, and-well." Roman pointed towards two clear shots of the huntsman, and in both shots, details on the face was not possible. One saw him wielding a large scythe, pulling in a law enforcement officer, and the other was more vague. The picture was almost completely drowned in white light. Only a distorted representation of the huntsman was visible, where he clasped his hands over his head.

The other images attached to the map, also showed similar supernatural occurrences. One taken in Vacuo depicted a female huntress in combat, striking with waves of fire.

"I don't think this is edited, kiddos."

 **:DDDDDDDDDDDDD**

 **3 for support**


	6. Chapter 6: Encounter with evil!

Night had long since descended on the town. Vale was perused in the darkness that followed dusk, not even it's familiar shattered moon was visible. Most folks, on a Wednesday night such as this, would be in bed to ensure the next day would run as smooth as it should. Another possibility is that the next day was a kind of day off, from work, or from education, with only a couple souls teetering on the brink of a balanced rest schedule, and a passion to pursue.

A plain apartment, built hundreds of times over with identical appearance, yet it stood out from the rest, as it was the only one with a lit window.

In it's room, a single person hunched over a study bench, a pencil in hand. A single lamp shed an atmospheric light into her room, decorated with posters of the passions of a young girl at least half her actual age. On her desk, to the side, were figurines of famous huntresses.

She was carefully looking over her task. It required precision, and a steady hand. Because she was looking at it so intensely, she actually had to put on her glasses.

She shook at the cold arms that nestled behind her ears.

"Dimensions...three-fourty-five...one-sixty-two..."

Using a light pencil, she drew one final line along one of the edges of a geometric tool, adding to the immaculate order of her design. This drawing, which took several days to complete, is now finished. The apparent designer turned towards the dark of the night sky, finding it a lightless expanse of dark. The shattered moon held no presence in the shadowy expanse.

"Finally, now I can get to bed. Ugh, I've been awake..." She turned to her electronic device, which, unlike most other mobile devices, was not a scroll. Activating it, she revealed herself to the rest of the apartment block.

"THIS LONG!"

Collecting herself, she shut it off, and took a deep breath.

She held it up against the weak light, then quickly put it down, to write the name she had forgotten to mark down. But as she took the pencil into her hand, she heard the creaking of wood, and instead instantly moved to shut off her lamp.

"Lily? Are you awake again? Dad's gonna freak if you're up this late with the algebra test tomorrow."

But by now, she was in bed, pretending to be fast asleep. Even when the door opened, and the room's light's switched on, she forced her eyes closed, even if it did flinch from under it's lids.

That test, on a subject she knew would never benefit her, was just another burden forced upon the young. And finally, when the lights went out, and the door was shut, she drifted away.

"No one needs dum-gebra anyway."

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"Ruffians, the lot of you."

The night was the perfect place for the unpitiable perpetrators of crime, as they would make use of the lessened sources of light, to prey upon the unknowing. But on occasion, they would find a prey that turned out to be their predator.

Low, pained groans filled the recesses of a shady alleyway. Several men were keeled over, clutching one or more parts of their body. One person stood over them, holding the unopened blade of her weapon in her hands.

Dressed in no way casual, or modern, and with a face-covering mask, it was clear that she was new to this place.

"Scrawny and weak, yet determined... what is it that drives you along the actions of the criminal, I wonder." She turned her eyes to see the sight of the couple of men who had tried to attack her, but was instead defeated themselves. From a simple look, it was easy to glean that they were not strong, their limbs a stringy combination of weak flesh and brittle bones. But they were somewhat determined to take her down.

"Evil, with good intention, I wonder. A sickened child? A lover? Or are you the victim of some undue judgement..." She raised her weapon, and struck each man in a way that their cries were silenced, leaving one unharmed which had caught her eye.

Pitying their possible circumstances, she left an unknown amount of this world's currency on their person. And when she finally came to the one she had left awake, she found that it was just a boy, of tender age, the sight of fear shone in his eyes, and his breathing was rapid.

"Are...you cold?"

In a way, he was somewhat handsome. The woman lowered to his groveling form on the concrete ground. She graced his face with a gloved hand, slowly and gently caressing him.

"The night is long, but dawn will always break." With that, she struck him on his forehead, taking care that it did not rebound against the hard ground, which could kill him.

Rising, she returned to her original goal. A meeting in the shadows, with a patron who could possibly direct her to the person she was hoping to find. The lightless, narrow space between the buildings formed a familiar darkness, where only a smidgen of unnatural light would show the way.

Her silver-cased legs against the solid ground clapped loudly against the silence, until it echoed forward into a vast clearing between the sleepy buildings. Already, she knew she hadn't arrived too early. Late possibly.

"Well, look who decided to show up...Miss?" From the darkness, a young woman's voice struck through the veil.

"You can tell me where to find her? I trust." It was then that a long silence filled the night. When the voice answered, her intentions were clear.

"Sure." A flame the size of a baseball illuminated above the center of her hand, revealing the voice to belong to a spiteful-faced woman in a pretty dress. On one side, another dark-skinned woman with suspiciously green hair. To her opposite, a man likely a similar age as the boy she had made unconscious earlier, peculiar silver hair.

The hunter had not even a moment to consider the woman's consorts, before she swiped her two hands forward in the thin shape of an X , and her entourage burst forward at breakneck speed.

With the blood-soaked blade of her katana, she halted what she knew was not a normal kick. At the same time, the blades of two small firearms primed towards her neck. But before any of her blood could spill, the hunter shot her aggressor with the point of her elbow. Because of this, she moved back and touched her head gently, scowling all the way

Yet she knew that there was more to this encounter.

The magician, of which who could apparently wield flame, had readied herself with what seemed to be a thin bow. Her arm was pulled back, an arrow was about to fly.

The hunter, with her renowned skill, shook off the leg she had blocked, and gripped it with the hand opposite, of which the elbow previously struck the woman's forehead. Holding the now clearly metallic leg, she lurched the boy off his balance by yanking it upwards, precisely deflecting an arrow.

He regained his footing, and launched away into the air, landing at the bow woman's side, as did his partner.

"You're not bad..." She said, lowering her thin bow.

"But your time is up."

Although it was dark, the hunter could feel shadows moving, and sensed that a league of thugs surrounded her. They jumped from the tall rooftop, landing in the opening with some finesse. Already, the hunter could glean their ability.

All of them wore similar white uniform with near identical masks, but most importantly, they carried themselves in the stance of a beginner combatant, remembering only to lower their posture. And even then, that was only for the few that bothered to carry them, as the majority wielded some kind of advanced rifle.

"Hmph, fodder." Just in this short period, she had surmised that she was surrounded by likely civilians with weapons, and if she had to guess, with little training.

All at once, they either fired their weapons, or rushed her. The hunter's original combatants decided to let her deal with them. But this was a common strategy, to await the times your enemies extend further than they should, during an onslaught of battle.

The hunter re-sheathed her katana, only to take it out once more, to cut away a boring metal blade of the first to reach her, using it's amateur wielder as a meat shield for incoming fire. Wisening up, the riflemen knew to be careful of their shots once they saw their comrade drip with his blood. The hunter put back the bloody sword.

The hunter disrespectfully kicked away the dead body towards the floor, shocking her enemies, before they gained an enraged lower half of a face, and moved to take her out. Her next foe came at her from behind, and her response was a tiny sidestep that put her in the warpath of another aggressor, who held a bat. The hunter ducked low, causing him to flip over her back. She stood proper and turned, quickly shooting the two men.

She sighed, and turned towards the nearest masked man, and ran at him in a form that had her hand just over the handle of her weapon. But when he quickly brought his rifle up, the hunter unexpectedly leapt upwards, landing her knee on his chin, after which she used his now bent legs to propel herself upwards into the night sky, where she was the center of attention.

Pulling out her secret weapons, she skillfully launched a series of paper-thin needles into the bodies of those below, like her targets were as obvious as they would be in the daylight, slowly causing them to keel over, holding their chests, or stomachs in aching pain. When she landed on the solid ground, it was with a gymnastic twirl that ended with her crouched low, and her legs apart.

Her show of skill let her white hair flow downwards from underneath her beaked mask, and let her slender legs show.

Standing upwards, the hunter was forced to reveal her bloodied sword, in order to meet the blade of the flame-wielding woman. She was forced to leap backwards, from the threat of an oncoming slash of the other woman's blade.

But in this action, she felt the air move at the boy's leg strike, which had came from directly behind her, forcing her to take action. Her compromise was to continue, and when his boot met her backside, she erupted in a cloud of mist to reform behind him.

She drew her blade, and pierced him through.

 **: ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))**

 **hi :D**

 **past couple days iv been enjoying some quality time on my own after examinations :-)**

 **and here is your new update!**


	7. Chapter 7: The unclear purpose

Lily slapped the head of her desk, she was sitting on her seat, but felt like she was elsewhere.

Our setting is a classroom, of which prepared it's students for a bright future. The students, who were the leaders of tomorrow all sat at tables arranged in the edge of one end of a rectangle. The room itself, while familiar to it's students on any other day, was a tad different. The light switch, which was usually flipped on, had been untouched since the last time it was used, leaving the grey, cloudy light to cut through the dark. The classroom, housing senior students at a school not dedicated towards the creation of huntsman or huntresses was blandly decorated, as it would be the students who brought it to life.

Even though it was a rule not to, the students took out their scrolls, or other mobile electronic devices, both tapping it's screen and talking with the person next to them. The teacher, seemingly only a little above the age of the students, had his eyes to a more reliable and capable device, a laptop. Him telling the kids not to take their devices out would be like asking the waves to stop waving.

Some of the students threw brash comments at each other.

"Linen you faunus **freak**!" A student called out to another on the other side of the room, one who let his animalistic mane free to the earth, yelling the final word.

"Wat'chu want Fibre ya see-through ghost!" Snide remarks towards the faunus earned another to the human.

The two students thrust upwards from their chairs, talking about 'squaring up', and were at each other's throats at the middle of the room. Their fists landed on each other's gut. "Oi!" the teacher yelled, causing him to stand as well. But then the two students hugged each other, promptly slapping the other on the back. The punches they had delivered were only done at the strength of an infant, and as they finished their encounter at the center, they kissed each other on the cheek the way only done to someone of significance.

"mwah', you're like fam." The faunus student said to his friend.

"I'know bruv."

Most people would attribute this to the rise of human-faunus conflict, but this was actually a regular interaction for two boys who knew each other very well.

Before returning to their seats, they each performed dances recognisable from a popular online game.

The teacher, a man whose skin was worn by the sun, who looked quite young, stretched his body.. "Ooo-kay. I hear someone's got a test today. D'you study?"

Before the sessions of school where the students were supposed to be learning things that has its uses only once every several years among other things, several students of the same grade level would be grouped into a classroom, as a sort of catch-up on anything new that would be happening.

The question, aimed towards nobody, got an answer.

"Lily has her Algebra SAT next period, I think." The prettiest girl of the class said, a brunette with sleek glasses. The braces were an objective thing, you like it or you don't. She was a manipulative one, but only for menial purposes, like saucy blackmail.

"Ueegh. Actually, I feel... yucky." The classroom turned towards her, the girl who competed for hottest girl of the seniors. Her body upper body lied over the recently cleaned table, and she lay her head on top of her arms, seemingly forgetting the couple of subject books she had with her. Several people asked if she was okay, even some who would otherwise be strangers.

"Lily you sick idiot go home!"

"Do you, uh. Need to be sent home?" The teacher asked her, but she was already leaving the room, skulking cautiously to the exit and leaving behind her belongings.

He went to walk her to the schools's office, but as soon as he left his chair, the classroom, and possibly the school itself rumbled in major tremors, shaking him backwards into his seat, and causing the students to look up from their devices with worry, but also some with excitement.

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I was the hunter who had the people in mind. A common trait usually found in the newer breed, eventually swapped out for a greater ambition. I recite my ambition as I wandered through the town.

The people were carefree, and are what I imagined to be after nights of the hunt. They passed me by with little worry, not like with anxiety and caution I commonly saw.

I sat myself at a public space, set at admittedly small suburban outkirts of the town, with a playground where children played a game of tag. Nobody other than myself could see, but the benign ghost was beside me at a wooden bench. In her resting, sleeping form, she was almost childlike. Not too far off, was a line of trees that brought a sense of nature and tranquility, even if it was at odds with their automated carriages. Of which frequented the town's entry and exit roads.

A dog passed me by and it didn't bite at me.

I turned my head to the midday sun, and squinted away. Unsurprising as it was, it was often a sight to behold. All records indicated the hunt was only for one night, but ask any who dreamt at that time and they'll tell you it lasted for years. So seeing the bright sun as a hunter who dreamed, was akin to a peasant beholding the splendour of royalty.

I wiped my eyes with my finger and thumb repeatedly, but by the time I could see again, the world had gone dark.

The blue midday sky had become a vast expanse of darkness, filled with the light of distant stars, shining among the clouds of the cosmos.

The white fluffy clouds that looked like they would comfortably collapse, became distant, shadowy versions of themselves.

The buildings retained their structure, but all the windows were reflections of the cosmic grandeur above.

I felt unworthy of this scenery, often only captured paintings. Red winds crossed the landscape, somehow fitting the landscape. I stood in alarm.

Among it all, was a woman. Rather, it had the shape of a woman. It's entirety was a canvas of cosmic clouds, yet dotted with the tiny lights of distant stars. Though the shape of her body was one to remember, the beautiful face was not there to match. The lines of bright starfire that could possibly be her hair fell onto her back, while rogue strands waved freely as if gravity was less of an obstacle.

Within the shape that was her body, was a sight into the chasm of nebulas, of the cosmos beyond our system. Reminder of scale, and how miniscule all life is.

"My child."

A woman's voice broke. Her arms lifted to better express herself. Visions of battles came into view, most fought by hunters. She levitated above the earth, unbound by nature.

"The humans are still in childhood. Their evolution has been halted. They war with themselves, and their progressing kindred."

She didn't even have eyes or a mouth, yet her voice echoed outwards several times before they were said. I see now that the bench I was sitting on was now destroyed, crushed through the middle by an unbearable weight. It could have been me, but that was impossible. It has been at least several weeks since I've eaten the peanut paste. More importantly, the pretty bandaged woman who was to be my astral partner, is nowhere to be seen.

"You are gifted the key to strength. The key to unity."

When I asked who she was, she skirted the issue presented, and her voice has already begun to sound distant and distorted.

"The first challenge looms. Stand strong, and others will follow."

It disappeared into the cosmos above in elongated rays of light, taking with her the visions of the stars, and returning my sight of all that was around me. Day had long since turned into dusk in the light of the setting sun. There was a law enforcement man crouched before me. His dull green uniform sat well with the public space.

From my slouching position, I sat upwards and put my hands onto my face. My eyes were broad from what just happened. I stared at the hard ground, asking myself for answers.

"You okay buddy?" But I couldn't say anything. Only felt.

I could feel the ground begin to shake in a familiar tempo. Even if I knew everyone else could not sense it. Bolting into a proper posture, I sharpened my eyes. Before I knew it, I hands gripped themselves onto the thin scabbard of the bloodthirsty blade, like clockwork.

Belike it to be, I could sense the beast with my nose, or hear it with my ears before I could see it with my eyes. Especially one so repulsive as this.

The children on the playground. The park's law enforcement. The couple walking through the park. The family resting nonchalantly in the shade of a great tree. Even the young pretty girls casually laughing in the grass.

Everyone was blind. My ears were deafened by a piercing, invisible shriek.

There it was, taller than the trees, and unholy as they come. It was easy to see that it was once a human, the way that it stood instead of crawled. The giant beast broke into sight from the treeline, and threw a curdling howl towards the sky.

To be expected, the shouts and screams of the people resounded. My call to action.

They ran by me.

I always tried to imagine what a normal person, a non-hunter would feel when confronted with a giant beast. Would they run? Rooted by fear, such as it is commonly portrayed in works of fiction, possibly. But if possible, how many would bravely try to defy what should have been, and try to kill the monster in what would undoubtedly be futile slaughter.

In any case, hunters such as I were needed.

I rushed forward at it, two hands carefully waiting their moment. It's scream pierced my ears, and I would try to ignore it, so that once it's giant arm moved to crush me, I leapt through the air towards it's eyes.

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 **This was supposed to be released earlier, but i came up short on some things : /**


	8. Chapter 8: Meeting - Licking wounds

I was too hasty. Of course it would not be that easy.

I had intended to slash across it's vision, to trivialise the following battle.

A true master of battle must be aware of the surrounding, and in this sense, I was an amateur.

I didn't know what hit me, but I hurtled backwards through the air until I made an impact in a solid wall, and I instinctively shut my eyes. Again, the once-human beast shrieked in what always sounded like pain, before the percussive, near imperceptible sound of it's giant feet that struck the ground came to. It was coming towards me quickly.

But in this moment, I feared not the charging beast, somehow it had fallen silent. Instead, I felt something that I would not feel usually at a time like this. Through the monster's howls, I could hear the people. The crying and the horror of being within eyeshot of me and the cleric that made it so that they did not know what to do. There was a child, separated from their guardian, crying and crying. It somehow filled me with this emotion. It was heavy, and weighed on me.

I dared a peek, to see that the beast's giant hand had clutched shut right as it begun to crush me with it. A hunter could not survive the hunt without a full deck of cards to play. And it just so happens that I have a special, hidden ace.

Quickly, I reached towards the artefact that hung from my chest by a thin thread, and brought it to my mouth to create a high pitched squeal through one of it's thin openings.

A red bubbling liquid formed from the ether, straight above the cleric beast. From this mist, one of my friends came to my rescue. A flash of dark red bolted from the mist, along with another giant creature, wrathfully landing onto the unsuspecting prey. Another of the giant beast's squeals tore at my ears, as it wrestled with it's new assailant, which had begun to constrict it's limbs. Using the artefact, I had summoned a giant, scaled ally, with crushing jaw strength that it used to shatter the bone in the beast's smaller right arm. It might seem to be giant and intimidating, but it wasn't always like this. The snake used to be the size of a hand.

I shook my head from whatever I was feeling, and trudged myself free from the concrete wall that I had been stuck to. I dropped a short distance. I never actually let go of my blade, even as I was launched through the air. So I began my dash with an opportunistic lean forward, a technique I copied from another hunter. My hands readied over the blade as I neared it's furred skin, I jumped forward.

The moment I released my blade, it was sheathed in the long leg of the cleric beast. It howled, and this time I could feel it reach within in own body and rattle me roughly. I crudely wrenched the handle upwards, twisting the blade sideways to try to shave it from the cleric's flesh. I took the wretched sight of a slab of cleric meat hanging lopsidedly from the bone.

And now, my blade was complete. What was once a gleaming blade of fineley sharpened metal, now became a thickly mass of guts and blood that clung to what once was. Now, I could say it's true name.

The chikage thirsted for prey to drink.

I leaped from the ground, and beat the compromised leg with a crushing weight from my boot. I sunk the katana through the giant thigh, and when it thrashed, I gripped the fur tightly. There was the long scaled body of a giant snake, constricting the movement of the howling cleric, while keeping well out of it's jaw.

I climbed the scaley body of the snake, to quickly pull out a blade.

A relic found in an abandoned storehouse in the nightmare, reverse-engineered to create a knife that explodes outwards when charged. Uses extremely volatile brand of gunpowder to rupture the organs of the victim. Lets see if it works on giant beasts as well as it does to normal sized people.

I stuck it's black blade into the abdomen of the trashing cleric, sinking the bloody chikage so I had something to hold onto. My arm trembled because of how deep I placed it. It's blood seeped. The snake, clever thing it was, recognised the explosive, and quickly escaped the battle by spawning a murky puddle, and rushing through it face-first. It was a good thing it did so to, as I didn't want to have to explain the appearance of such a large snake anyone. It was already mundane to do so to the people of Yharnam.

The cleric trashed about, having broken free from the constraint of the giant snake. The detonation had it's own timer, so I had to get away from it. But I have no idea how long it would take until it exploded. I released the chikage from it's insertion, and began to descend to the ground. But it was then that I was encased in the giant hand of the beast. It began to rush somewhere I could not see. It threatened to crush my comparatively tiny body under it's superior strength.

Wishing the snake didn't disappear on me now.

I could feel the town rumble from the pressure of it's feet as they smashed and shattered the concrete of the road it had stalked across. This, as I suffered it's horrible yell that could be heard from a town away.

Soon, I was held up towards the sky, and violently thrashed several times into the waiting ground. I felt something break. Through the gap inbetween it's large fingers, I found that I was thrust into the center of the a road, with tall square buildings at the sides. And of course, that beastly visage.

At some point, my grip on the chikage had weakened and flew, since I could no longer feel it within my grasp.

But this powerlessness was something that I had prepared for, so that when the day arrives when a foe was able to strike me in a way that seperated me from my blade, I would still be able to fight back.

But given weak effect of small firearms on giant beasts like the one currently howling at me, I could not simply blast at it with bullets. Even with all the marrow ash in the world, I would still be hesitant on it's use, and would rather rely on something more permanent. No clue whether or not I could find vials or bullets yet still in this world, of which remained from the last. In any case, I only needed to stave it off until the explosive within it's chest would ignite, and I knew it would.

The handle of that weapon has already glowing a sun-like white.

With my mind, I beckoned towards the astral power hidden inside myself. I bared the palms of my hands towards the cleric, who had gripped his hands in one another. A thin line of bright green light hovered close to my grasp. Long, minute tendrils spiraled outwards in organic motion. The light expanded, into a crude outline of a sword with a large blade.

I gripped the handle, but I faltered when the deafening pitch of it's howl pierced my ears,

I faltered when the cleric launched into a frenzy and quickly moved his hands to crush me completely once again.

The summoning waned, and the sword vanished from existence.

It's fists closed in on me. Surely I had some kind of secret hidden weapon on me, but I was frozen in the jaws of death.

A giant red flash cleaved through the arms of the cleric.

The hands were cleanly cut off, and it's momentum had caused them to still crash down towards me. I rolled sideways like a silly child, even if I exclaimed agonised cries. Just a few moments ago, I was being slapped against the rough ground of the street like a playtoy.

I looked up, which because I was on the ground, meant down the street. Among all the carriages that had crashed into each other, there was one thing that sstuck out. A girl, who did not appear to be very old, was holding the chikage in her two hands, still in it's bloodied form. She dropped the hunter weapon, and placed her hands over her mouth in shock. As the blade clattered towards the road, the blood and flesh either dissipated, or was absorbed.

But a shriek pulled me back towards the cleric. It's hands destroyed, it now hung over me like I was an ant who had lost some of it's appendages. It moved it's monstruous feet over me, and for an instant, I thought I could see through it's eyes to see the man behind the beast. But the next moment, it had it's legs thrust downwards, and I was riddled with fear of mortality.

I quickly pulled my pistol outwards, and pulled back on the firing trigger with my gloved index.

I must have placed too little faith in my sleek firearm. The sound of the shot was much more percussive than I remember, even as eyes as evolutionary instinct dictated, closed tightly shut, I still felt the force of the gunshot that rocked my bones.

It was when I peeked a glance when I realised that it wasn't my pistol, even if the Evelyn was a coveted prize for any hunter. No, it was the blast of the explosive that had dealt the blow. I knew this was true, as pieces of it's body flew outwards from where the blade had been buried.

Not even the most holy extremity that is the head was safe. Only the legs remained as they toppled over lifelessly. I got up slowly, and had to quickly grasp my back like a tired old man. I turned my head to the scenery around me. The buildings, they dripped with the fresh warm blood of the slain cleric. And speaking of, I felt the pattering of raindrops on my skin and face. Only, I knew that it was not rain. It was warm, it was the falling pellets of lifeblood that had, until moments ago, thundered inside the body of a ravenous beast.

I followed the sight of the red rain as it began to fell from the sky, pelting the town in a coat of overflowing blood. Along the way, I became interested in the person who was able to use the chikage in it's true form. She was eyeing the sky as if she was bewitched herself.

I slowly made my way over to her, picking up the sword still lying in the middle of the road. She was standing nervously because of the citizens eyeing her, since it looked like her strike caused the cleric to explode in the way it did.

She held her arms tensely, and something tells me that she was not so used to having the spotlight shine on her. Uniform decorated with a sigil of what is usually a kind of institute, I'd say she was at the later years of her schooling. There wasn't anything unique about the way she presented herself, but somehow that itself was a kind of beauty.

"I'd say, you just made the front pages."

I had to know something about her. The chikage could only be used effectively by the hunters who invest their power into bloodtinge. Either that or..

"Oh... Are you okay?" The girl asked me, who was holding my lower back cautiously, covered in seeping red drizzle. I kept walking, more like hobbling towards her, whispering pain-filled "oohs" and "ows".

"I'll live, but more importantly, you're incredible!" Her eyebrows furled downwards.

"When you... saved me, how did you do that? The sword can be hard to use, you know." Not even I had ever done a strike like she had, only witnessing an attack like that in places I'd not like to think about.

I've never seen blood rain down on another person until today. It could be disturbing to see her so complacent during this weather.

"Really, I don't know. But when I saw what happened, I.. just had to do something." Her eyes were a simple, but somehow well detailed black. Went well with her sculpted face and sleek dark hair. It was strange, she looked like a hunter that I knew for a while.

It was possible I was not the only hunter to awaken. Back then when the police had sealed off the nightclub, I noticed the scene had some unique qualities that pointed to it. The front of the building had blood marks in the direction of a huge slash identical to the one that had saved me. That and the blood splash directly outwards from the entrance suggested someone had been acquainted with the slaying riposte of a hunter, where the hand would intrude into the body and form a small pool of blood, before it splashed outwards.

"Are you, a... a huntress?" I was a little slow on that word, but I figured that with that academy for huntsman and huntresses in town, she could be. But then, where was her weapon?

The rain of blood ceased, and so did the sounds of pelting liquid on my clothing.

"Oh, no. I'm not going to be a huntress... I'm Lily. What was that thing?" Unperturbed by the rain of blood, or that moments ago the lives of so many were in danger. Was she really not a huntress, or at least training to be one? I would like to think that I would sense a lie when I hear one. If she was able to do what she had done, I really think she should be a hunter or huntress.

"I'm Andy, that? You don'wanna know, heh. You're not bothered by any of this?" I felt inclined to use the simplified version of my name.

"Oh yeah, I see things like this a lot video games."

It was at this time that the wailing sound made from the carriage of a police was heard.

 **lowmotivationlowmotivationlowmotivationlowmotivationlowmotivation**

The day that the cleric beast had entered Vale and upended the outer region of the town, was actually after the night where possibly the two most conniving figures of villainy convened.

The female lead, her eyes had the look of death, as she anxiously rubbed her finger against her thumb, angrily recalled the foe who incapacitated one of her minions. The other one was ensuring he wouldn't sneak out, while she would do business.

That was the reason that Cinder was here, meeting with someone below the chain of command. Even though he pretended he was the ringleader.

The pretentious criminal mastermind could be found in one of the many warehouses on the docks, and only at night. And even then, there was little to no light, which made it impossible for anyone to find, except for those who know exactly where to look.

When she entered, she entered to the sight of a cosy lamplight that dimly illuminated an expanse of space, dotted with several cases of legally acquired goods procured from previous government-sanctioned trades of assets.

The person she was looking for, who had more eyes and ears in Vale than she did, was stood casually at a whiteboard that had a number of photographs and writing on it. Next to him, an improvised table that was really just a wooden board on top of crates that have been stacked on top of each other, was an array of markers, even more photographs, his cane weapon, and a large see-through jug of a clear liquid. All on top of a plain white tablecloth.

Apart from the man himself, his accomplice lied nearby over the top of a large square crate, swinging her legs to try and entertain herself. Luckily for her, a mobile device she found on the body of one of her latest robberies had a large assortment of applications. She swiped and tapped on different ones, and frowned when she discovered that they weren't as fun as she initially thought. She slumped her head.

The feather-hatted intellectual crossed his arms, facing dead ends in his investigation, and begun to pace in front of the flippable whiteboard. It was then when from the corner of his eyes he saw flowing red coming into sight.

"Did you break the door down again!? Ough, that's going to set us back."

"Oh what a pleasure it is to have you here with us tonight!" He looked away and put a hand to his mouth. And breathed deeply, experiencing withdrawal symptoms from being away from his cigar. The man held back a strange hiccup.

"What's this?" She nodded to a stache of supplies grouped closely together, clearly marked with staple food such as bread, oatmeal, cereal. Nothing intended to directly aid in the destruction of Vale. She raised her hand to it. Things that were unnecessary were only risks.

It must have been surprise, or shock, that stopped her. Because when Roman pushed her hand down with his cane, she didn't ignite his form. This was the first time she had seen him act against her. Up until now, he had complied with her words with a straight face. But this time, the man didn't even look at her.

"I'm a criminal, Cinder, not a monster." These words made Neo turn her neck to him with an empathetic face.

She usually had a reply ready for defiance and insubordination, but the only thing did was make a face that was a little confused, but almost entirely like that of a superior reacting to an out-of-line minion. The two remained like this for a while, before she silently scoffed at him, and strided towards the makeshift table he had set up.

Neo went back to her stolen device.

"This one." The woman, Cinder, knew to reserve her emotions to people that she could not trust, but even so, there was something in the way that huntress handled the trap she layed out for her, that left her with a taste of unfinished business. So it was that Cinder placed the picture down on the makeshift table with her eyelids wide, iris contracted, and eyebrows furrowed.

For anyone who knew the femme fatale, this was an expression of simmering rage. A hungering tigris, in a cage made of flimsy sticks.

The liquid inside the jug rumbled at her rough handling. The picture that Cinder had put down was taken the night her trap failed. But more than that, one of her minions had been made unconscious, possibly permanently, with how deadly the poison and venom of the creatures of the world could be.

"Birdbeak?" The criminal mastermind, Roman, who actually was not listening to her words, began to pay more attention when he saw what Cinder had just put down. The picture was taken at after time when she held one of the white fang henchmen hostage, when the hostage turned into a body shield for the bullets that came from the rest of the henchmen. Back then, it truly was in the dead of night, but the camera used was able to compensate for it, brightening up the capture in a way that most would not be able to explain.

"What?" Nearly growling the word, Cinder made her eyes do the talking.

"On account of her distinguishing feature, Birdbeak... well I see that it's not exactly the shape of a bird's beak..." The man began to explain, but he was explaining something that he didn't know didn't matter to her, so she just glared at him with that look that women do when they know you were supposed to say something they wanted to hear but instead said something else.

"I...I met her at Junior's bar, when I made a... a request for more henchmen. She's the reason the cops have it closed as an investigation site." He wandered from the photograph and turned back to his board, after pouring himself a drink of what was in that jug. He knew that there was must have been more to her being here than just this.

"Figured."

 **"** She took out Mercury." Cinder met him at his whiteboard, looking over the marker circling points of interest in the several kingdoms, and the photographs attached to them.

"Hm. He was like a son to me." Roman said remorsefully, looking over the board he had been obsessing over recently, stirring the clear liquid in his glass with just the motion of the hand he was holding it with.

"I need Neo." Cinder looked over to the girl on the crate. She was leaning back on it, a dangerous grin on her face, holding her umbrella weapon along her arm.

She would be perfect.


	9. Chapter 9: Lost tool

There was no heroic applause for either of us, but instead the weight of whether or not somebody should.

What happened next, was the almost immediate appearance of the law enorcement in their vehicles, and blinding lights. Having run into trouble with such men myself, I quickly hid the loose whistle that was around my neck into my clothing. But it was only then that I knew that they would have not the slightest clue of what it could do.

'Big snake no come from small thing', was what they would think.

This always happens, but the spectre who follows would always present herself without a hint of her presence. So that it would surprise me whenever I happen to see that transluscent, flowing body.

The girl next to me, Lily, the pretty faced student, seemed to retreat into her own space, receding from the world and sitting on the pavement of concrete, her head down in her hands. I would imagine that her legs are feeling weak as well. "O-oh no, I can't go to jail" She muttered, together with other things.

Eventually, the blue and red lights filled the wide street, and several of the officers had set a bright yellow and black ribbon around the fallen over legs of the beast. At least one of the officers was a gorgeous lady, with her brown hair tied backwards. Over the blaring, Lily retreating to herself got my attention again.

I knew from a relative that children, particularly before the age they would be able to walk, would have a reliance on the feeling of being touched by someone, and that it was somehow effective to calm the nerves.

Slipping my gloved hand over her back, I anxiously retracted it before it could make contact.

I didn't know what to say to her. I have minute experience with commoners of the towns, but maybe, I know something that might help. I seen it one time. "Ey..." I said as I sat next next to her, groaning to myself as I entered the unfamiliar posture. When she looked at me, I was lost in her beauty, of the frailty in her dotted cheek.

She wasn't so lost that she could be considered catatonic, or a victim of psychosis. But I imagined that there was sharp, repeating pulses emanating from the middle of her chest. Likely from the possibility of imprisonment.

I became nervous, and turned to the officers. "They shouldn't imprison you. You should be heralded as the hero of this day." It was her who came to my aid, with her strange proficiency of the chikage, Lily produced a wave of blood and force that repelled my aggressor to give the explosive enough time to detonate with me still in a single piece.

Her mood brightened when she rushed air from her nostrils. "You talk weird... who says 'heralded'? She wiped her face of almost black, dripping blood with the short sleeve of her shirt.

"I guess it did feel cool when I used that sword." It was usual for these kind of reclusive episodes to last for a short time, so she would feel a little brighter after a moment.

But this comforting of a child, it blossomed within me an emotion that I could have felt before. In the long, cloudy past of possibly a time before taking the mantle of a hunter, maybe.

Something modest in her appearance, I knew not what it was exactly, perhaps the sympathetic shape of her eyes and brows, set me at ease. But, it was the now lightly falling drips of that red substance that landed on her face, arms and legs, even soaked into her student's clothes, that was rousing.

It was common for people of a young age to be inspired by combat. "If you would like, I could show you how to better use this sword." I tried to see if that would be able to release her mind from the troubling thoughts she chained herself to, skeptically handing the sheathed blade to her.

"I guess I could try it out..." Lily had a voice that was skeptic, but wrought with curiosity. She took the weapon, setting it down next to her, glossing over it like it was an afterthought.

"Well... my assignments aren't due for at least a week, and I've pretty much finished them." This was a more confident voice. I did wonder what kind of assignments a student of her age would be made to perform.

I liked to sooth her anxious ailments, but what interested me more was the mysterious way the blood blade reacted to her use of it in such an effective way, that only few should achieve. It was like a rare seedling that could sprout into a magnificent tree. But not every seed can survive. For that reason, a tender carer is required if the sapling is to reach it's true form.

"I know a place where my cousin practiced to become a huntress, it's kinda far though."

I would have liked to continue on this dialogue, but felt that the two of us were being approached.

"Scuse me."

The two of us turned to look at the woman who called to us. It was the pretty faced officer with brown hair. The white of her skin made the freckles lining her face clear to see. Her modest appearance glowed in my basking eyes.

"I'm officer Solander," Her eyes behind a pair of glasses made me hear my own heartbeat. A small lock of her chestnut hair floated downwards from a part to rest above her black square glasses. We looked at each other.

"And I'll need you to come with me to the precinct." "You have the most gorgeous eyes of anyone here." Our voices overlapped and made noise.

"What." She said.

"What." I said.

"I'm afraid I'll have to take you to the station, you're a suspected suspicious person." She said this while distracting herself by pretending to affix her square glasses. She then opened a small notebook, and skimmed it's contents.

This fool.

"What? I've done nothing to wrong this earth!"

If it was going to be like this, I might as well have never left that nightmare-infested town. This Solander person, she had the rotten inside of the lowlifes that crept around the streets of Yharnam pretending to be a hunter. And even after I said something nice to her.

Back then, they were easy pickings for echoes, what with almost no repercussions. But here, the people were much more organised, as well as advanced. I imagined only a few days, up to a week, before the hunter would become the hunted.

A battle to the death, me against the world, or this town sounded exciting, but I was missing a couple of things, however. For example, I was not in possession of a few unique creatures that kept crawling around my body, which are mysteriously missing. Those proved to be critical tools during confrontations.

But now I had no choice. I stood, and looked at Lily's gorgeous face.

"I'm sure I'll see you again, Lily." I had to speak louder as I was being dragged away by the officer. The student rose to speak, but I was currently having my head pushed down into the seat of one of their carriages. Another plain looking officer was sat in the seat

The door slammed shut harder than I would have liked.

"Oh very well, take me to your crooked and corrupt enforcement. You all allow yourself to be pulled by strings of ruin!" I looked outside the glass, to see that Lily was about to say something, but a screech flowed over her speech. She revealed her hand, and I knew exactly what she wanted.

To return the chikage.

* * *

"Day three."

"The slug-like specimen seems to favour the cafeteria salad, particularly the lettuce, and tomato. This is also true for mushrooms found around the campus. Incredibly, there is no identifiable waste product left behind by the creature. The research will continue."

Third year Beacon student Velvet Scarlatina was somewhat of a scientist. As a child, she would take insects she found in her parent's backyard and study the way that they behaved. Even though they were mostly crude drawings in crayons that went over the lines. Naturally, she would take interest in a slug-like creature discovered in the frosted, snowing region that it was.

"Hey V." Scarlatina's partner in crime herself shut the door after entering. She glanced towards her from her cross-legged position on the floor.

"Nerding out over that little slug?" Coco pulled her cool girl shades off and flicked her hair. "It has to be the largest of it's kind. Definitely the first able to live in the snow." She scribbled something into a notepad that she held in the palm of her opposite hand.

"Enough with that noise. Come on, we're going out to this nice club I found the other day." To this, the cute rabbit faunus shut her notepad and rose up to get a casual jacket. If a little drab.

"We should let the boys know we've gone out." The two of them were at the door, getting ready to leave

"Na, we'll be fine." Coco let her friend through the exit, before uncharacteristically closing the door quietly.

...

...

...

It must have been a minute after they had left, that a bright white and blue light began to burst from the cracks of the door.

* * *

Solander had almost tossed me towards a bench, which spanned the length of one of the walls in what seemed to be her 'precinct'. If I had to guess, it was the acting hand of the major official influence of the town.

"Alrighty, you sit down here." Her tone towards me changed dramatically since the ride in what she called the 'car'. She only asked me for some kind of identification, I was confused but told her my name, but then the other officer sitting next to her began to get angry and from then I simply stopped listening.

I was still mad about losing the chikage.

When she walked away, I angled my view to see the beauty in the back of her young head of hair. Those nearly invisible strands of rogue hair will always attract my attention.

I hope I will be able to find my weapon soon. Someone who doesn't know how to use it, like someone showing off to his friends could get themselves cut, or worse. I will never benefit from this weak memory.

I obediently sat down onto the seat, before awkwardly standing again. I plainly looked around this interior. It can be surmised as clean. Nothing was broken, or rotting. The other staff didn't seem to be visibly ailing from sickness, and their clothing weren't swarming with flies, or spotted with stains.

There was another eye-catching young woman sitting down in the far corner. The shape of everything on her face was like a boot to the stomach. From the inside.

Sitting down, I slouched my back into the wall the bench was affixed to.

I had almost fallen asleep when a commotion had begun at the main entrance of the building. A plain officer, fiercly gripping the colourful and, admittedly stylish shirt of a girl. The shape of her face was that of someone who had only in recent years advanced into the double-digited age. She was obviously not a normal human, as her hair was like a single cap. There was no individual strand of hair. Her strange version of hair was a pronounced orange, and extended downwards on both sides of her face.

How unique, they were the length of her waist, and were shaped like tentacles of an aquatic creature. There were spots where the orange were shaded, and I hoped it was not from an illness.

But what I thought was most special was that she was wearing an eyemask, and it seemed to be a part of the skin on her face.

She tried to get free of the man's grip by pulling away, and pushing her shoes against the floor, but she never made any progress. It was funny, but I tried not to laugh.

"You youngsters, always getting property dirty with your graffiti!" The man grunted this, and told her to sit down on the bench a little away from me. The little girl glared angrily at him while he lightly jogged towards the exit.

A frontal act. She began to look at the floor with great rejection. Complete with low toned wails.

I tried to cheer her up. I know a few tricks for the occasional kid's birthday party.

Shuffling slowly towards her, I saw she spied me from the corner of her eye. That, and her ears were like triangles that stuck outwards from her head.

"Hey, pull my finger. You'll like it."

My gloved hand stuck out the main finger for pointing, and although she was skeptic, the little girl did pull back my index.

"Shaa!" From out of my sleeve, emerged a miniature version of the nightmare snake. It rest on my hand just before the thumb, and poked it's forked tongue outwards in short intervals. Her eyes were a circular black, confident and ready to face the world.

"This is Zjashi."

Naturally she would have repulsed backwards, and hid herself behind her hands. But once she looked at the unassuming eyes and tiny forked tongue of the newborn snake, she started to prod it with a finger. And it quickly jumped from my hand to hers.

"She's cute." The girl said, laughing when it tried to eat her large hand with it's miniature mouth, her fangs had not grown yet. The girl's own teeth held key differences to mine, as there was one large fang-like tooth at the center of her lower row of teeth, with some prominent vampire-like teeth on her upper row, more prominent than that of a normal person.

She turned upwards to me. There was no nervous confusion in her attention, as her eyes never left mine.

"Hello human! I am Lesueur. Where'd you get this cool guy?"

"I am Andenette. Zjashi is a complicated, exotic snake. I don't know where she came from." Lies, she was born of the nightmare snake. But, this exists outside of her concern.

I remembered where I was, and called back the snakelet causing it to quickly slide and slither back into my long sleeve. Good thing to, since Miss Solander came back, seeming furious but knew to act professional. She almost yelled at me to come with her for 'questioning', but I knew the true meaning behind that.

I said goodbye to Lesuer, who cheerfully waved at me.

* * *

Rattling machinery echoed downwards a long white corridor. A research building of the militarised sanctuary of Atlas. This long hallway, available only to few, held knowledge expressed as tools of conflict, and it's use bordered on ethnic morals.

Besieged by invaders unknown, the mechanised protectors could not hold the front. Giant metal machines with the likeness of man could not battle against the supernatural humans who intruded.

Bullets would seem to pass through them, a touch of their blades would cleave the metal of the protectors.

A sealed iron gate separated the world from the advancing technology.

Explosions rocked the complex as a door was launched inwards, two people entered a room that contained the latest military interest of the kingdom. A pair of containment cells large enough for a person to fit in lay at the far side of the small room they had just entered.

A visible mist floated throughout the room, a harmless gas intended to keep it at a particular temperature.

One of them moved towards the cells, leaving the other to oversee the entrance.

Within each cell, a white haired human slept not knowing of what was happening.


	10. Chapter 10

_"...seven...eight...nine..."_

 _A little girl sat on a wooden chair, picking up the words from the page, her guardian was above her, guiding her through what issues she might have faced._

 _"What comes after nine?" The man asked gently._

 _The little girl waded through the thick fog that was her mind, and stumbled on an answer_

 _"Twelve!"_

* * *

A blinding lamp was shining on my face, I squinted under it's scorn. I was sat down on an uncomfortable chair in front of a table that seemed emotionless. It seemed like it would not be out of place at the academy clinic where I first awoke. Miss Solander might as well have thrown me into it, with no regard to my ailing backside. I softly rubbed it, trying to calm the pain the beast had caused to me. Of which, is stronger now than before. Possibly a trick of the mind. My hands and legs were not bound, but I felt a sensation that I should not move from this spot. Whether from the pain I might experience from moving, or if I was not supposed to because of the situation.

I was still thinking of the creature-like girl from before Solander yanked me with her, when I was rudely distrupted.

It was so strange that she did not have strands for hair.

"Who are you!" I couldn't see much of the man who yelled this at me. But a full head of yellow hair, and a boisterous voice told me the person was young. The light of the lamp was focused towards myself, so it was hard to see more of him.

But who I was? That question could have so much meaning. This was a question I returned to often when I looked upon the blanket of stars in the night. Who was I, but a collection of things that was once inanimate, such as a stone, brought to motion with simple thoughts? Soon, the body will decay, and be consumned by the roots of nature, where new life will blossom. And who I was will be dissolved into the land. I know the cleric beast must have knocked me on the head at least once.

Part of that I knew already, another part from an insightful, and engaging visit to the town's public library, in the philosophy section. I would like to read from the science section on my next visit. There was a unique entry about 'The editing of genetic information', and also something that suggested that humans are made of the same things as the stars in the sky. Truly an inspiring notion.

"A...a stone?"

That wasn't right.

"Enough games!" Another person, rife with the image of youth came forward from the dark side of the room. His hair was a dyed blue, and there were something like goggles on his forehead. I found this obnoxious. My first impression is that he places too much care on what he is thought about, and not enough of who he himself is. His tone was also a much more tame pitch than the other man.

My own thoughts drowned out the things that the two of them were saying. I looked past them to a place where the wall, and the ceiling met. I saw that pretty-faced spectre meandering across the room, and followered her with my eyes as she floated so free from the tethers of the world. She glanced at me, where we tried not to look away from each others eyes, before she would close them in what looked to be a state of peace. I think now, I would have liked to smile at her.

It was a strange interaction, but I laughed because of it.

But the others in the room were tired of what, to them, looked like shenannigans.

"Where're you from!" Less of a question and more of a statement, from the way it came out. But the answer was clear. I was still focused on that girl, so the words that I said were not completely the ones I thought I would say.

"I-I come from a place called... Ara Hymn" The man who first asked me who I was came forward. He slapped his hands on the table that was not bland, but also, not expressive. From the posture he assumed, it seems like he was trying to appear daunting.

The natural reaction to such an action performed so quickly, was a reflex ingrained into the body. But this same reflex caused the bones at my back to ache, or grind against one another, or whatever, and caused me pain.

"Ah-ck!" I sucked air through my nostrils, and bit my teeth together at it.

Thinking upon it now, they would have thought that I was laughing at them earlier.

"Sounds fake, why're you lying to us, bud?" That blonde man slapped the table, and came closer again. He did so with a boldness that was similar to that girl at the academy. Her name was already lost to me, but her face was still there. Actually, this man also looked as if that woman was a man, in his bright locks and bold attitude.

I angled my face to try to get another look at that other man, I thought that he would continue to block my vision but he didn't. The other one was half in the dark, but instead I saw something else. It must have been that he was closer now or something, but I could see the lightly swaying silhouette of a tail.

White ghostly fingers gripped the edge of the table, alarmingly close to me. Heavy whispers of overlapping voices soon rushed the inside of my ears, but I couldn't even understand what they were saying. It was truly disturbing, but I could do nothing against something I could not touch. Instead, it is best to not react to it, in the hopes that she will not do it again. Beautiful as she was, it was possible that she could be dangerous. Not that I could do anything to change it.

She was like a spider that was content to remain in the corner of a room. But for how long will she remain that way was not a question I could answer well.

She pulled her arms up, easily hoistering herself over and propelling herself into the darkness where I could not see. I would have liked to glance at the shape of her body as she floated upwards, but I caught her eyes as I was admiring her hair. They looked to convey scrutiny.

I wish I knew what I had done to upset her.

The spider disappeared from view. The heavy whispers had faded, and angry shouting took it's place.

Suddenly looking back towards the interrogators, I saw that one was holding back the other. The tail belonged to that man who was being held back

"Gentlemen, I've been distracted-" I intended to ask for their forgiveness to my behaviour, but...

"Sit the hell back down!" In respect to the blonde's wishes, I sat back down, but I asked who the two men were.

"Glad you asked, buddy." The tailed man would always be louder than what is needed. "We're junior detectives, Sun and Neptune! I'm Detective Sun Wukong, the quick-witted faunus. And this is Neptune Vasilias, tracking down crime is what we do!" The two detectives, far from what I imagined a detective, even struck poses back to back, and showed something in their hands to me.

"Detectives? Such a respectable status..." I held something of an entrancement for occupations that involved such focus on analysis, and the unraveling of a mystery.

The lamp was still focused towards me, so I saw little of their performance.

"So, our special precinct issued Scrolls have access to every major database of citizens on Remnant, so that means it can tell us exactly who anyone is." I could correctly say that much of those words must have come after my time. Despite this, I at least tried to pay attention to the blonde man. I watched his lips move, trying to imagine the sounds of a forest. I really couldn't because of his volume. Why the need for loudness?

The two of them are detectives, but I wasn't sure if I should refer to them with their family, or first names. In Yharnam, I think that this dilemma was solved with the use of a last name.

"But it's coming up with nothing for you." The other man, Detective Vasilias, came forward, his face and body now partially visible again. His last name was very foreign to my internal tongue.

"And, given that you were a center of a...an attack from a monster, brass wants some questions answered... whoever you are." Wukong came forward and put his hands on the table again.

"Detective Wukong, I am someone known as... 'Andy'." I paused for a while, as a debate started to form in my head on whether or not to answer with the full, or shortened name, but in the end, I made a quick choice that I had to live with.

Depending on the questions I would be asked, I only hope he didn't ask anything too personal, or supernatural. I sincerely hoped that no one saw the nightmare snake, but I felt many eyes on me during that encounter. I hoped, but I doubted as well. I wanted to keep those precious creatures from any contact with people as possible, I feared that they would take them away from me somehow.

And I could not abandon little Zjashi when she was so tiny, without even her fangs.

* * *

Lily was left at the scene, still chasing the car that Andy was shoved into. She thought her display with his sword was incredible, but also wished no one would have seen her. She wasn't too big on being questioned by the police. Actually, she didn't like the police very much at all. Lily thought that their position of authority over civilians made them the target of corruption. Bribes and blind eyes. She thought about heading home, thinking about how she would get out of here without getting asked questions. There were a more than a few people in the street when it happened, and she saw those people were already being talked to by the cops. If she did not act now, then eventually she'd find herself answering to a cop about what she was doing here. She began to walk off, running would make her suspicious, holding the sword on the side that was opposite to the scene and to the cops. Then she removed her top layer of clothing, a grey school jacket, in case the droplets of that monster's blood was still visible. It covered much of her top half, and she had already wiped off the the specs that rained on her skin.

It must have helped that her school uniform would have made her look innocent. But it would be a point to make that a student should be in school at this time. She would just say that she wasn't feeling well. Lily made a point to try to escape the scene before thinking about the preceeding events. No distractions, for the moment at least.

What was that snake?

She was biting the back of her bottom lip everytime someone took a second look at her. And a third at the sword she was trying to hide. Acting natural came with a convincing act, so Lily lengthened her strides and added some conviction. Until she came out of sight.

When I got home, I heard dad snoring over the t.v. It was his day off of the docks. Poor dad. When he was my age he had spent more time at school than anyone else, trying to reach those A's, and all he got was a dead end job, despite all the opportunities he took.

"All that matters, is that you get a good shot at life the way my parents did for me." Is what dad would say, but I wonder how many other opportunities he's missed out on when he's taking care of me and my sisters. Thank you, dad. You chose us girls over your dream of being a pilot.

Dad was often tired whenever he came home, and is still sleepy even on his days off. Even so, I quietly paced myself up the stairs, and avoided the parts that creaked. I would have entered my own room, but the voice of that familiar news reporter could be heard even over dad's snoring. I watched through the supports of the stairs, a different angle of that special event that occurred today. The view was an air shot of that location where I met Andy. It focused on the remains of what I thought was a giant werewolf. Much of the buildings were tainted red. I really hope they didn't catch me.

Realising I was clutching his sword along my chest, I hurried up to my room. It was more like sneaking, but a bit faster. When I reached the second floor, I dashed into my room, ignoring the doors of my sisters. I swung the door quickly, but closed it very lightly. If it was not done this way, it would creak, and even though it was very unlikely, I didn't want to risk waking dad. He loves me, and so I've never seen him angry, but it would embarass me to be discovered at home while I was supposed to be at school. Walking past my desk, which still had drawings of a school project, I sat on my bed to take a closer look at this weapon a huntsman would use. If he was being held by those cops, I don't imagine I need to get it back to him immediately. Actually, in holding on to it, I'm actually keeping it safe from people who would want to steal it.

It looked to be made with gold. But it had become worn and had dulled. I'm sure that if it was new, it would seem like a national treasure or something. Maybe I could clean it? There was a red sash applied to the beginning of the scabbard. I thought it was really stylish. Lifting the handle, I felt that the sword was lighter than I had thought, and took a closer look at the blade. Dull as well, I thought. But as I pulled it out of it's sheathe, a gradient contrasted the duller beginning against the almost glowing end. Along the blade, engravings like the shape of a wave ran down it's length.

"Hmm?" That's strange, I remember it being red or something like that when Andy used it.

A haunting chill tore through my spine and made me shake my arms, and I dropped that sword.

"Hyaa!" I stood in shock as the weapon thudded loudly on the carpet, my reflection in the shinier part of the sword. Except, my hair was white.

From below, I heard the t.v volume lower. Dad was awake.

"S'someone there?"

Oh jeez.

* * *

 **ey dudes.**

 **I found passion in many video games, so chapters been at a snails pace.**


	11. Chapter 11

_Most of the children were either asleep on the floor, or talking to each other about what they would do later on in the day._

 _In front of them, a man, pointed to words scratched onto a salvaged blackboard using stolen chalk. Regrettably, only a small fraction of the children bothered to pay attention._

 _"This word is..."_

 _The children, in their worn, discoloured clothing that needed urgent sowing, ignored the man._

 _"...haah..."_

 **OOOOOMIE**

Next, the t.v that dad was watching fully switched off. He was going to search the house. I quickly fell to my knees, picking up the sword -not even giving it a second thought- and panicked.

What if he found out I left school today?

Actually, it would not be too bad, but I didn't want that image of a goody two shoes daughter to be broken!

Thankfully, I had left my things like my bag at the school, so I didn't have to worry about hiding those. For the escape, the only way out of here was...

I looked to the still early afternoon through the window.

It was perfect.

I almost rushed towards it, my hands started to tremble a little. It was a troublesome habit I had when I felt scared for something, usually something that shouldn't be scary. I actually almost tripped by stepping onto the leg of my desk chair. It hurt, but I couldn't try to react to it now, time was of the essence.

This time, I nearly fumbled Andy's mystery sword onto the wall. If that happened, dad would probably get a knife, and expect a robbery. I caught the falling blade, at the cost of a rapid heartbeat that I could now feel inside my eardrums.

What was wrong with me? I felt fine after leaving the school, even though I felt horrible.

I unlatched the locks of the window and pushed it up as quietly and quickly as I can. I slowed down on parts where I knew the rails the frame was on would creak or squeal. It created a space that was suspiciously perfect for a person to crawl through.

I stuck my left foot out of the house, it glowed in the bright, but not golden sunlight of the afternoon. I crudely held the sword with just my left thumb. The fingers held the edges of the windowframe as I pulled the rest of myself out. It was thicker than I thought.

From outside of the house, now on the roof, I quickly slid the window down, just as I heard the door to my room creak open with a force I could not imagine was able to come from my dad.

That was crazy! I didn't realize I had that little time!

I was shaking, and focused on trying to calm my heart, which ached. My father already had enough troubles to worry. If he found out I was staying home from school, he would probably blame himself for thinking that he raised me wrong.

Even though it wasn't that long since he met us sisters.

...

I pondered this as I waited for a noise to tell me where he was in the house. If I focused, I could still hear him on the top floor. The ground was grass, I could probably jump down and not make any noise.

One last survey around, and I made the decision to gently descend. I let my feet down first, then committed my entire body to the jump. I thought about chucking that sword down first, but I couldn't just treat such a marvel of design so carelessly. I instead kept it at my chest the whole time. It really looked like it should have been kept inside some kind of museum.

Jumping down was made me a little nervous, even if it was only one floor. Its not like I was wearing high heels, but I wasn't exactly a parkour expert.

Right after landing, the sound of my sister's door opened. It had a loud creak, loud enough to be heard out here. Sure enough, the person who would have been inside was attending school. Even if she was only attending physically. I hope she didn't hear about me leaving early without the permission of the school.

Thinking quickly, I left the area. Don't want to risk dad finding out about me. I hadn't even had a chance to change before I woke dad up. Still in my partially dirty, partially _bloody_ uniform, I could only hope the stains wear away into the dark clothing so that it becomes unseen.

 **HERE**

Leaning her back against the wall of a building, the only other hunter in Vale carefully eyed her kindred. With a beak-shaped mask covering her face, she spied him from a crack in a crowd. Him, together with a pretty girl. Occasionally, her vision of them would be blocked by the odd person who came to see the commotion. She leaned against the wall of a store, cross-armed.

"Still alive, then...hmph"

She was what might have been on the other side of town when she heard some unforgettable screeches, so she had only just arrived to the scene of a crowd building up to look at the blown-up legs of cleric beast. A bit of the black road had a darker cone. Probably used an explosive.

She wondered if he would still remember her face. Being made able to dream could possibly hinder the memory. Well, that, and it was years since they last met. But now seeing that face chatting with a cute girl really only confirmed it was indeed him.

"Still with the women..."

Before long, someone came up to the both of them, one of this town's law enforcement. She lead him into one of their cars, and drove him off somewhere. Watching dumbfounded as to why he was

This left behind the girl he was talking with alone.

"The fool, he let her steal his chikage!" An alert voice, a whispered tone. She knew him as someone who would dedicate his life to a woman for her appearance, before doing the same for another woman, so he was probably distracted. But even so...

She began to follow that girl when she started to walk off. Obviously as discreetly as she could, at least one block away. She must have been guilty, as the girl kept glancing backwards.

Was she taking advantage of him? Andenette was so allured to a woman's charm that he could fall for a woman even if she was a mythological creature, like a mermaid or a medusa, even if they were dangerous to humans. But then... she looked kind of young. A uniform suggested belonging into an institute of learning. She'd not seen that logo before... was it a school, or a university? She could only hope that it was the second option, otherwise it could mean he would have descended further into moral depravity.

In her thoughts she had allowed herself to become the focus of that girl. Because of that, they were now staring dead at each other, the girl quickly returned her gaze to the walkway, placing her steps in order. Noticeably quicker, sloppier. Her heel rolled over, she could have fallen. How pathetic. How could she have stolen from him from right under his nose?

For now, she will observe. That depraved man could have another schoolgirl-like attraction for her. Didn't he know that wasn't allowed?

 **VROOOOOOOM**

"What's wrong, sis?"

Ruby picked at the cafeteria food. Mashed potatoes, nice. Something else that was mashed. _Eew._

"EHehe, you've been looking preoccupied for a while, Ruby." Sticking her fork down and quickly snapping whatever was stuck into her mouth, was the cute, but also brave, faunus, Velvet.

Their teams began sitting close ever since Ruby and Yang caught Blake chatting, and laughing with Velvet. And since Ruby was a paragon of friendship, she decided to group up at lunch breaks. That, and team JNPR hadd strangely been a little more absent from lunch time.

So now, fragments of their teams chatted with each other. Yang, between talking to Ruby flung some pieces of her food over to Fox and Yatsuhashi, trying to get a reaction from at least one of the two hot pieces of meat. They sat in silence as Yang giggled and eyed the two seductively, with an impish smile.

Just as Fox opened his mouth, Yang laughed over him. He frowned nervously, and his cheeks went red a little.

Secretly, underneath the table, she was exploring Fox's legs with her feet, slowly continuing upwards...

"Hahh" He cried out, biting his lip.

"Soo... You remember Andenette?" Ruby timidly asked, playing with her fingers.

"Ahh, that annoyance? Honestly he couldn't leave any quicker." Weiss, that scarred girl crossed her arms, and huffed air from her nostrils. The thought of that man unnerved her. There really is no way a person could live past the age of a hundred. That in mind, he should have at least heard, that the heiress of one of the greatest companies alive was attending Beacon. She would think that her striking appearance was widely known, yet he put forward little manners when he tried conversing with her.

"I liked him, I think I caught him peeking at you the other day, Velvet." Blake smiled, thinking positively of the hunter. If he was interested in Velvet, then he must have been alright with the faunus.

Maybe she could invite him to her circle of 'special friends'. Blake had a feeling he would be accepting of the faunus. He was a person who's... attraction to women was obvious. Blake tried to think back on when the two where in the elevator to Ozpin's office, and through her memories, caught him shyly stealing glances at her.

Blake guessed she was beautiful, after all.

"I think I remember you walking around with that hot piece of...behind." The playful Coco, sitting beside her rabbit friend, was about to say another word, but she spotted the whitish-blonde hair of professor Goodwitch across from her, walking right past team RWBY. The two locked eyes for a moment before the professor walked off, holding her own tray of food. She said that she would try to understand what life was like or a student at Beacon, but Coco knew she was just spying on the students. The academy's female uniform looked beautiful on her though, especially her leggings.

"I..think I found something that belongs to him..." Ruby stood and brought out a pair of white gloves. Not latex, or anything modern. It actually seemed like the gloves used by labourers to protect their hands. But that's what Ruby connected it to him.

"The heck are you doing with that?! You could contract...who knows what? They should be destroyed immediately!" Weiss really was right. There could be a ton of century-old bacteria on those gloves. Could be a deadly pandemic about to run wild across the world.

It was a good thing she didn't know what it really was, then.

"I'm not sure what you mean..." Ruby laughed at her suggestion, but ended up snorting.

"I'm sure it'll be alright." The voice of Blake, defended the gloves. Meanwhile Ruby just chucked the things to the middle of the table, between the two teams,.

There was a silence between the two teams. Blake played with the side she got along with her rice, a nice-tasting fish that had wonderful weight to it, and would tenderly fall apart whenever Blake pulled parts of it off with her fork. Coco twirled her shades, revealing a girl with a cute and innocent face. It was like night and day.

Clattering of plates brought everyone to look upwards. Coco, the most familiar with the person, spoke up first.

"Uhh... professor Goodwitch?" It was indeed the lady-like professor. But it seemed today, she was relieved of that title. Coco knew about why she was eating with the students, but seeing her up close in the girl's uniform was another level.

"Please, just Glynda today. May I?" She motioned to the empty spot on the table, next to Blake. The two nodded, and Glynda sat down neatly next to her student.

"Lookin' good in a uniform, prof." Yang eyed her teacher, Ruby and Velvet giggled.

"Yes, well. It's a little... tighter than when I was your age." Glynda pulled at the collar. Apparently feeling hot or something.

"Well, I think you look just as good today, as you were back then, Glynda." Voicing her kindness, Velvet received thanks. It was true though, more than most would think. Glynda was refined now, but when she was a student, she was a wildfire.

"Uhm... Glynda, we were talking about the huntsman we found out in the snow on the excursion the other week... do you know anything about him?" Ruby's cheeks were full of mash as she turned towards the older woman.

"Something tells me there's more to him than that, though." Blake was tearing apart her fish, focusing on Andenette, and who he could really be.

"Him? I have to say my opinion on him as a person could be better. In the meeting with Ozpin, he looked over my body more than a few times." She shrunk backwards to herself and joked. "I felt violated." The girls all giggled like the schoolgirls they are. Glynda most of all chuckled really hard.

When everyone calmed down, she caught the gloves that Ruby chucked onto the table.

"Hold on, whats this ancient-looking piece of apparel?" The new student, set her charming glasses back on her nose properly, and reached for those two gloves.

'Uuh' Everyone thought that, unsure of whether or not they should stop her.

Glynda reached for the pair of gloves.

 **:))))))))))))))))))))))))**

 **Thinking of making another rwby x over fic : \**


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